Morgantown falls to Hurricane in Class AAAA state championship, 6-1
Hurricane starting pitcher Weston Smith struck out 13 batters, allowing only three hits and one unearned run in the contest after a shaky start. But the 2025 WV Gatorade Player of the Year settled in and led his team to a fifth state title for the Redskins, and the first Class AAAA state title ever.
'Whenever the defense steps up and when your team is swinging the bat pretty well, it makes it pretty easy to settle in for your guys,' Smith said. 'That's what you prepare for all season. All winter, we are working, trying to get ready. It showed today.'
'Listen, I love this group,' MHS head coach Pat Sherald said. 'I'm just so proud of them. They're a very mature group of young men who showed up every day and did everything we asked while working their butts off. Unfortunately, we came up short today against a very talented team and pitcher. We knew we would have to scratch and claw for every opportunity, and we played this year with that mentality.'
MHS jumped out to an early lead in the top of the first inning after a pair of defensive miscues and an infield single made way for Vinnie Aloi's groundout that brought Weston Mazey home for a 1–0 advantage.
Hurricane responded in the bottom of the second as Braylan Hutchison tied the game with an RBI double, and Brady Rigney followed with a run-scoring groundout to give the Redskins a 2–1 lead.
The Redskins loaded the bases with two outs in the fourth, threatening to extend the lead. Tyler Baxter lofted a high fly ball to left field, but a miscommunication in the outfield allowed it to drop, clearing the bases and extending the lead to 5–1. Hurricane added a sixth before the end of the inning to lead 6-1 after four innings.
Morgantown threatened in the sixth, putting runners on second and third with one out, but Smith responded once again and escaped the jam with another strikeout to keep the advantage at five runs.
Morgantown finishes its 2025 campaign with 27 wins as Region I and OVAC 5A champions. It was the first appearance for MHS in a state title game since 1976.
'This program has taken incremental steps all season,' Sherald said. 'If we keep playing for the name on the front of our jersey and keep a team-first mentality, I really like the direction we are trending in. This senior class is outstanding, and we will miss their impact on our team and program. I know the players see what our coaching staff sees and if we stay focused and keep working hard, we will get there one day.'
BOX SCORE
Hurricane 6, Morgantown 1
MHS 100 000 0 – 1 3 2
HHS 020 400 X – 6 8 2
Morgantown (27-11) – Mazey 3100 Bowers 3010 Silvers 2010 Bredeson 3000 Aloi 3001 Thornton 1000 Joseph 3000 Henkins 3010 Nipper 3000
Hurricane (29-7) – Shirkey 3100 Baxter 4113 Smith 4000 Ocheltree 3120 Fleece 3120 Hutchison 3011 Rigney 3111 Sutton 2110
2B: Hutchison, Rigney, Baxter
(W) Smith: 7.0ip 3h 1r 1bb 13k
(L) Boggs: 6.0ip 8h 6r 3bb 3k
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