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MORGANTOWN -- Andrew Manley delivered 6 1-3 innings of two-run ball here Tuesday afternoon for Parkersburg Post 15 in the opening game of the West Virginia American Legion state baseball tournament to help lead the locals to a 4-2 victory against Berkeley Post 14.
Manley, who had to be replaced after finishing with 106 pitches, walked two, scattered seven hits and punched out five before being lifted for Drew Woofter. Woofter allowed a hit and also recorded a strikeout, but was able to close out the triumph with a save.
"I can not say enough about Andrew Manley's composure today and scattering a few hits here and there, but still getting the outs that we needed," admitted Post 15 manager Mike Goodwin, who watched Manley improve to 11-0 and the team up its mark to 30-6.
"They never were able to really put much together and that comes back to Andrew Manley and he was in command the whole game. That's been our recipe, good starting pitching and close the door with good solid relief and that's what happened today with Drew Woofter coming in."
During the regular season, Post 14 had a 2-0 record against Parkersburg thanks to victories by scores of 11-3 and 11-7.
Jason Myers was saddled with the mound setback for Berkeley, which allowed a four-run bottom of the fifth before responding with two runs in the sixth.
"We left way too many guys in scoring position early in the game and couldn't get a big hit to score until we finally broke loose in the fifth inning," Goodwin added.
"The first four innings we had men in scoring position and we just couldn't get a big hit to score the first run until Eli Reeves hit a sacrifice fly."
Following the RBI from Reeves, Woofter followed with a run-scoring double and Brodie Wiggins had a two-run single.
"We finally put it together and had one big inning and were able to put four on the board and thankfully that was enough," said Goodwin, whose team returns to action at 4 p.m. today versus Morgantown Post 2, which lost to Buckhannon 5-3.
Colin Reed and Bayden Hartman led Post 14 by going 2 for 3 with a run-batted-in apiece. Hartman had one double and Reed had a pair of two-baggers.
Woofter finished 2 for 3 to lead Post 15, which also had a single and a stolen base from Brett Haskins. Catcher Bentley Kinzer, who threw out two runners trying to steal second, scored a run along with teammate Dylan Holliday.
"The two runners that Bentley knocked down, that helped Andrew scatter things and it kept Berkeley from a big inning," Goodwin added. "Bentley's throws to second base were huge, for sure."
The double-elimination tournament is set to end on Saturday, which means unless things get pushed back due to inclement weather Manley will have made his only start in the state tournament.
"They just kept plugging along," added the skipper. "Andrew kept us in the game until we finally got our offensive footing and we did."