Keyser wins defensive battle with Fairmont Senior, 2-1

“He worked a lot on his own in the offseason,” Keyser coach Scott Rohrbaugh said. “He was ready to go on day one. He’s usually at 80 pitches or above. He’s had several complete games.”

Fairmont Senior was led by an RBI single from Dylan Ours in a game with zero extra-base hits. He finished 1 for 3.

“Ours came through,” Fairmont Senior assistant coach Sean Hoskinson, filling in for head coach David Ricer, said. “We had an opportunity to score and we got a ball poked to the field to take care of that opportunity. Keyser had a few more and took better advantage of it. A good game against a good team.”

Hayden Jones drew the start for the Polar Bears and began the first inning by retiring Keyser in order.

Fairmont Senior stranded a runner in the bottom of the first. Peschl drew an HBP and stole second before Jenkins went 1-2-3.

Jenkins then singled with two outs to give Keyser a baserunner in the top of the second. Bubba Bean lined a ball to right field for a hit as Landon Tysinger, courtesy runner for Jenkins, rounded third.

Brock Martin fired the ball to catcher Ethan Miller with enough speed to stop Tysinger from even attempting a slide. It stranded a runner for Keyser and ended the top half of the frame.

Fairmont Senior was sat down in order in the home half.

Joshua Shoemaker reached on an error to lead off the Golden Tornado’s third frame. Lucas Williamson dropped a sacrifice bunt to move him into scoring position and wrap the order back to leadoff hitter Noah Broadwater. Broadwater flew out to left field, moving Shoemaker to third.

Shoemaker scored on a wild pitch, and Keyser led 1-0 in the bottom of the third inning.

Jones singled for Fairmont to begin the bottom of the third. Brayden Gorby entered as a courtesy runner and was caught between the base paths on a pickoff attempt by Jenkins to clear the dish.

Jenkins secured his third strikeout and ended the inning in the field.

Keyser’s Logan Rotruck worked a full count walk to start the fourth. Patrick Liller flew out to second. Logan Canfield made the throw to first to secure a double play. Jones struck out Jenkins to end the top of the fourth.

The double play was the second time in the game and the third time in two games that the Polar Bears threw out runners from the outfield.

“All of our outfielders that we have, that’s one of the things we always push and work at — getting that out,” Hoskinson said. “They cut balls off and move well. They’re extremely athletic, and they all have the arm. It’s a nice weapon to have because sometimes runners change their mind.”

Brody Whitehair walked and stole second in the bottom of the fourth. Ours worked into a 2-2 count before ripping an RBI single to right field. Ours advanced to second on the throw home before pushing to third on an error.

The game was tied 1-1 after four innings.

Shoemaker and Broadwater singled for Keyser as Davis approached with two outs.

A great recovery on a wild pitch by Miller caught Shoemaker at home to end the inning on the basepaths. Miller did a great job of preventing further damage throughout the game.

“He blocked so many pitches for us today,” Hoskinson said. “The ones in the dirt, he digs them up. He also calls his game back there. He’s been a great senior leader to have. He can catch and do all the things to make him an excellent weapon.”

Jenkins punched his fifth strikeout to begin the bottom half of the fifth inning. He worked through three batters in just 10 pitches.

Fairmont Senior’s Gorby relieved Jones in the top of the sixth inning. Jones’ day finished with three strikeouts and one allowed run in five innings of work. The run was not earned. He also allowed four hits.

“Jones pitched a heck of a game,” Hoskinson said. “His off-speed stuff was working well. He got a lot of swing-and-misses. He was getting weakly hit balls. Gorby was the same way. He’s good with that off-speed. He’s able to move it around. They do a good job of placing it.”

Keyser retook the lead in the sixth as Jenkins was both an ace and the face card.

Harr and Rotruck each walked to put two on for Keyser. A Jenkins single to center field with two outs scored Harr and advanced Rotruck to third. It ended up being the go-ahead run.

“He can hit,” Rohrbaugh said. “He doesn’t go up there thinking. He just goes up there, sees the ball and hits the ball. That’s why I have him hitting six.”

Fairmont Senior trailed 2-1 heading into the bottom of the sixth.

The Polar Bears stranded a runner on third once more in the bottom half of the sixth. Peschl singled and advanced around but still was unable to come home.

It was evident that both teams were able to get a runner on and advance them swiftly. The problem was getting that final bat. Ours and Jenkins had the only hits to score runs. Fairmont Senior left a runner on third base twice and left three overall. Keyser left six.

Keyser stranded that sixth runner in the top half seventh, but it was inconsequential as the Golden Tornado secured the win with a 1-2-3 seventh inning from Jenkins for the complete game win.

Keyser improves to 10-1 with the win over a regional opponent that may become familiar as the season progresses. Both teams have consistently been ranked atop Class AA in statewide polls.

“Very pleased,” Rohrbaugh said of the start to the season. “They grind things out and never quit. If we get down a run, we keep fighting. This is a good bunch of kids. They get along and are very coachable. This one is important. We see what they have now and they see what we got. You get a little more knowledge.”

Fairmont Senior is now 10-3 and will travel to Bridgeport on Thursday.

“It gives them a heads up on us. We’ve gotta visit them to start out if we’re lucky enough to get through sectionals,” Hoskinson said. “We can’t look ahead because there’s still a lot of people in the way. We try to take it one game at a time. If we do that, we have an opportunity to see them again. That’s a goal.”