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Parkersburg Post 15 delivers in first postseason test, defeats Ritchie 7-1

By Kerry Patrick 5 min read

PARKERSBURG - Starting pitcher Wyatt Boice made the first three innings look stress-free. Ten batters faced and no hits allowed.

One problem, his offense was slow to generate.

In the home half of the third inning, that all changed. With two outs, three Parkersburg Post 15 hitters reached base safely, including Eli Davis with an RBI single which also resulted in a second run scoring following a throwing error.

For the game, Post 15 (17-7) produced four two-out hits which resulted in four runs as part of a 7-1 win over Ritchie Post 83 (4-15) in their Area 1 Tournament opener, Tuesday at City Park.

"Wyatt had good command and good control of the game," Post 15 manager Mike Goodwin said. "He minimized all the mistakes he made, pitching-wise.

"In those first three innings, I thought our offense was not helping him out. We were a little slow getting started, but we did enough to make things comfortable for him."

In the round-robin format, Wheeling and Ritchie meet at Wheeling Park High School. Wheeling and Parkersburg then battle Thursday at Wheeling Park. The single-elimination portion of the Area 1 tournament takes place on Friday with the top two teams advancing to the state tournament in Beckley.

"The winner of Area 1 plays the runner-up from Area 4, so there is definitely incentive for winning your area," Goodwin said. "It's not just like we are going to lay down and be happy with that. We have a shot of going to the state tournament as champions of our area."

Boice tested the limits in terms of pitch count, but managed to squeeze in a perfect top of the seventh inning as part of his complete-game victory.

The Wirt County High School product scattered four singles, did not walk a batter and struck out five. He did plunk three batters, but the defense behind him kept Ritchie in check, including an inning-ending double started by third baseman Cam Cumpston in the top of the third inning and a strike 'em out-throw 'em out caught stealing twin killing assisted by catcher Easton Miller in the sixth inning.

Cumpston's tidy glove work resulted in three putouts and two assists.

"Cam was solid tonight," Goodwin said. "He had some action over there at third base and he was clean.That was huge."

Post 15 opened the scoring with the first of three unearned runs charged to the Ritchie defense. Eli Davis led off and reached safely on a dropped pop fly in shallow right field. Boice bunted Davis to second and one out later Cooper Anderson singled Davis home from second base.

In the third inning, Post 15 found two-out lightning. Cumpston was hit by a pitch on his backside and Cooper Cancade singled between the third baseman and shortstop. Eli Davis kept the line moving with an RBI single.

Trailing Cumpston on the way to home plate was Cancade, who took advantage when the initial throw home was gathered in by the catcher - who in turn attempted to pick off Cancade at third base with the ball sailing past the fielder covering.

After squandering a golden opportunity with two hit batsmen in a scoreless third inning, Ritchie broke through with a run in the fourth inning. Logan McVey led off with a single and continued to second base when the left fielder failed to make a clean pickup.

Connor Elkins was the third hit batter of the game, but Boice managed to get two consecutive outs and keep runners standing on first and second base. Landon Shiflet ruined any hopes of a shutout bid with an opposite field RBI single.

Over the next 3 ⅓ innings, Boice would not allow another Ritchie baserunner to reach second base.

"I felt pretty good today - I worked with the team and we got the job done today," said Boice, who finished at 100 pitches - five short of the maximum allowed in Legion games. "I just threw it where it needed to be and let the game be what it is."

Post 15 tacked on a pair of runs in the fourth for a 5-1 lead. CJ McCartney delivered a deep ball to left field which resulted in a sacrifice fly. Miller followed with a base hit back through the box for yet another two-run RBI hit.

More insurance by Post 15 occurred with single runs in the fifth and again in the sixth inning. Anderson had his second RBI on a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning, and Miller came up with his second hit of the game, which drove home McCartney, who was the recipient of a third error committed by Ritchie.

Otherwise, Ritchie starting pitcher Connor Elkins was charged with just four earned runs in six innings of work. The Parkersburg High School product struck out three and walked one.

"Elkins did an amazing job," Ritchie coach Jason Shiflet said. "Honestly, it should have been a three or four to one ballgame.Wyatt pitched a great game, so give credit where it is due.

"Against Wheeling, we just have to show up and play ball - you just never know. They are a good team. We just have to show up and play ball like we are capable of."

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