Latest news with #Mohigans
Dominion Post
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Dominion Post
Morgantown baseball set to battle George Washington in state tournament semifinals
CHARLESTON – For the second consecutive season, the Morgantown High School baseball team earned a spot in the state tournament as the Region I champions and will meet MSAC champion George Washington on Friday night at Go-Mart Ballpark in Charleston in the semifinals of the WVSSAC Class AAAA baseball tournament. The Mohigans, also winners of a conference title as the OVAC 5A champions, return to the state tournament for a second consecutive year after sweeping Region I postseason play. Morgantown went 4-0 in the playoffs, defeating its rival, University, and Wheeling Park in back-to-back series. The Mohigans (ranked No. 4 in the latest MetroNews Coaches Poll) have won 13 of their last 15 games. Offensively, WVU signee Weston Mazey leads the team with 33 runs scored. Mason Bowers paces the lineup with a .395 batting average and a team-best 40 hits. Vinnie Aloi leads Morgantown with 31 RBI, while freshman Jackson Bredeson follows closely with 29 RBI and a team-leading eight doubles. On the mound, Maddox Boggs (9-2, 1.35 ERA) and Vinnie Aloi (7-2, 2.22 ERA) have combined for 16 wins. Judd Messerly, a Potomac State signee, has posted a 1.34 ERA in 10 appearances and has three saves. 'Last year, there was a huge sense of excitement with it being the first time in a while that our program has been there,' MHS head coach Pat Sherald said. 'This year, there's the same excitement, but there's also a lot of purpose as far as taking care of business. We got a taste of it last year. We are going to go out and play as hard as we can and play our brand of baseball.' George Washington returns to Charleston following a runner-up finish in 2024 and enters the tournament as the Region III champions. The Patriots posted a 4-0 mark in the postseason with wins over South Charleston and St. Albans. WVU commit Slade Barton tossed a no-hitter in the 4-0 regional title victory over the Red Dragons. After a 3-4 start to the season, GW found its rhythm, winning 12 of its next 13 games. The Patriots are 4-2 this season against fellow state tournament qualifiers, including two victories over top-seeded Hurricane. In the Mountain State Athletic Conference title game, Chuck Kelly delivered an inside-the-park, walk-off home run in the seventh inning to secure a second win over the Redskins. 'George Washington has four very talented pitchers, but that's what you expect this time of year,' Sherald said. 'We know we will see the best from everyone, but it's all about what we can control and what we do out there. We must follow our game plan and maintain a no-nonsense approach. We will seek opportunities to capitalize on and position ourselves for success. We just plan to go out and play quality Mohigan baseball.' First pitch is scheduled to be thrown 50 minutes after the conclusion of the first Class AAAA semifinal between Hurricane and Hedgesville, which is set for 5:00 p.m.
Dominion Post
7 days ago
- Sport
- Dominion Post
CHARLESTON HUSTLE: Morgantown High sweeps Wheeling Park for trip to state tournament
MORGANTOWN — It's a three-hour drive from Morgantown to Charleston. The Morgantown High School baseball team might choose to walk instead. MHS used nine walks, timely hitting and a dazzling pitching performance to beat visiting Wheeling Park 7-3 on Thursday in the second game of the Class AAAA Regional Championship series. With the win, the Mohigans (26-10) make their second-straight trip to the state tournament hosted at GoMart Ballpark in Charleston. 'Obviously, we were able to take advantage of some things they gave us,' MHS head coach Pat Sherald said. 'We were really fortunate to be able to put up seven runs in that situation.' After loading the bases in the first inning and watching the Patriots (23-12) wiggle out of that situation, the Mohigans sent nine batters to the plate in the second. Walks played a big part in a three-run inning for MHS as it drew five walks in the frame. Senior Weston Mazey provided the big hit in the inning as he hit a two-run double to left field that snuck just pat the out-stretched glove of the Wheeling Park outfielder. Mazey later scored on a wild pitch to give MHS a 3-0 lead. 'In that situation, I am just trying to get a ball in the air to score a run,' Mazey said. 'I got one in the air, and it ended up dropping and getting away (into the corner) so that was nice to score those two runs.' The Patriots, who finished the game with five hits to MHS' three, tied the game in the top of the third inning. Kolten Whitmire had an RBI single while Jaxon Updegraff added an RBI sacrifice fly and Whitmire scored when Nate Simon reached base on an error. 'We tied the game in the top of the third and we had our chances,' WP head coach Steve Myers said. 'We put guys on for free and that is never a good recipe.' MHS took the lead right back in the third inning as Mazey once again provided the offense with an RBI sacrifice fly to left field. Ryan Nipper scored later in the inning when Mason Bowers reached base on an error for a 5-3 lead. The Mohigans finished their scoring in the fifth inning as Koa Silvers hit a sacrifice fly that scored Mazey and then Nipper scored as Bowers reached base on another error. Wheeling Park committed three errors in the game with two of those coming on what should have been the third out of the inning. While the Wheeling Park pitchers were struggling to find the strike zone, MHS starter Maddox Boggs had no problems. Boggs pitched all seven innings with four strikeouts, five hits allowed and just three walks. 'Maddox really went out and competed for us,' Sherald said of his sophomore pitcher. 'He held a really good team to three runs, and I am just really proud of his effort. He maintains composure, competes and three strikes for us.' This is the first time in school history that the Mohigans have made the state tournament in back-to-back seasons. MHS will play a yet to be determined opponent on Friday in the Class AAAA semifinals. — Story by Eric Herter Morgantown 7, Wheeling Park 3WP 003 000 0 – 3 5 3 MHS 032 020 X – 7 3 2
Dominion Post
29-05-2025
- Sport
- Dominion Post
Morgantown High takes first game over Wheeling Park, now one win shy of states
WHEELING – Wednesday was Game 1 of the Class AAAA Region I Championship, but it was far from the first encounter between the Morgantown High and Wheeling Park baseball teams. In the fourth encounter between the two teams this season, the Mohigans earned a 5-3 road victory at Patriot Field, a win which puts them in the driver's seat in the best-of-three series with a state tournament on the line. 'Wheeling Park's a very good baseball club, their pitcher did a great job pitching,' Morgantown head coach Patrick Sherald said. 'They hit some balls hard, we were fortunate. Our pitcher on the bump, Vincent Aloi, pitched a really quality game for us. We played good defense. Offensively, we had to scrape together some runs, put some pressure on, lay some bunts down, generate situations where we were fortunately able to score some runs. Happy to get out of here with a win against a good team, it'll be a battle tomorrow– it seems like these games have always been battles the last couple years.' The Patriots and Mohigans traded runs back and forth across the first four innings of Wednesday's meeting– Wheeling Park scored in the first and the fourth, Morgantown scored in the first and the third– before Morgantown broke the 2-2 tie with three runs in the sixth inning. The Patriots would put across one run, and get the tying run up to the plate, but fall short of a comeback. Wheeling Park committed three errors on Wednesday, including a couple of mistakes in the sixth which aided the Mohigans' cause. 'Little bit self-inflicted,' Wheeling Park head coach Steve Myers said of the loss. 'We need to be better in those pressure situations. We had a good approach. It's baseball, sometimes it doesn't go your way. It's a three-game series so we'll be ready to go tomorrow.' Morgantown laid down lots of bunts Wednesday, including a run-scoring sacrifice bunt in the third inning, and a bunt which led to a fielding error– and a run– in the pivotal sixth frame. With no outs in the top of the sixth, Mason Bowers stood on second for the Mohigans. Koa Silvers laid a sacrifice bunt down the third base line, but upon retrieval the throw to first was in the turf and got by the first baseman, allowing Bowers, already on his way to third base, to round the bag and get across home plate. Vincent Aloi hit a sacrifice fly later in the inning to put Morgantown ahead 4-2. Jackson Bredeson came home on a called balk to score the third run of the inning. A two-out, two-strike single up the middle by Jaxson Updegraff in the bottom of the seventh scored Kolten Whitmire for the Patriots, with senior shortstop Nate Simon coming up next to represent the tying run at the plate, but a hard-luck lineout straight to third base ended the game. 'Our two-strike approach was very good today,' Sherald said. 'We were able to hit some balls hard. In the end though, it was us putting pressure on them in the bunting game and taking some extra bags. We're fortunate today and we look forward to tomorrow.' Aloi picked up the win for Morgantown, striking out two and walking just one in a complete game. Aloi was able to manage runners on the basepaths and avoid the big mistake in limiting the Patriots. Whitmire pitched the whole game for Park, striking out three and allowing only three hits. There were more defensive highlights than offensive ones on Wednesday. Wheeling Park's Ryland Robb had a standout day at third base, including converting a pair of impressive 5-3 putouts in the fifth. Robb made all three outs in the inning, but his final two were what had Park's dugout fired up by inning's end. With one out, Robb charged a weakly hit ground ball, fielding the ball cleanly and making a quick throw to first for an out. Then, with two down, Robb had to react quickly to a hard shot skipping down the third base line, diving to one side to field the ball, before getting to one knee and firing a strike across the diamond to end the inning. Bowers made a big throw from centerfield for the Mohigans in the bottom of the sixth. With nobody out and a Patriot on second base, Robb cracked a base hit to shallow centerfield, and the runner from second was waved around third towards home. Bowers delivered a strong throw that went on a line to catcher Samuel Watson, who applied the tag at home plate to deny Wheeling Park a run. — Story by Nick Henthorn
Dominion Post
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Dominion Post
Morgantown's Elecia McCurrie enters 2025 state track and field meet with her eyes forward
MORGANTOWN – Last year at the 2024 WVSSAC state track and field meet, Elecia McCurrie made an emphatic statement as a freshman by taking home three state titles and vaulted herself to the top of the rankings among the state's best sprinters. This season, McCurrie has continued to lead the way. The sophomore speedster holds the fastest 100-meter dash time in the state in 2025 at 12.14, which she set at the Region I championship last week. With the state meet this weekend, somewhere she has already made history and cemented her name, McCurrie says she is entering the 2025 version with a clear mind. 'Coming into this season, I knew what commitment it would take to achieve the goals I set for myself,' she said. 'This weekend is about not worrying about the pressure of being the state champion last season. It's a new season, competition, and state championship meet.' Last season, McCurries captured the 100-meter title in Class A with a time of 12.26, slower than her state-best time of 12.14. 'Knowing that going into the weekend does nothing but motivate me more, honestly,' Elecia said. 'My goal is to set a new state-meet record, so knowing where I am now gives me confidence. My goal is never just to be in first place. Every time I step foot on the track, I'm not only racing against my opponents; I'm also racing against the clock. This weekend is no different. I aim to run for new personal bests and state records.' McCurrie can also impact the meet when it comes to the team competition as well, as the Mohigans have struggled to earn points in the sprint events in the past. Just last season, MHS shared first place for the AAA girls team championship with Jefferson, but would've taken the title outright with success in the sprints. With McCurrie being one of the strongest sprinters in the state, the Mohigans may have the difference they need to win the Class AAA team title. 'Going into my second state meet, I just want to first and foremost thank God for giving me the ability and strength to compete at this level in the sport I love,' McCurrie said. 'I just want to remain humble and healthy and give everything I've got.' The girls' 100-meter dash finals will begin at 1:25 p.m. on Saturday, with Class A, Class AA, and Class AAA.
Dominion Post
10-05-2025
- Sport
- Dominion Post
Morgantown, University capture sectional softball titles, setting up Mohawk regional battle
MORGANTOWN – The Morgantown and University High School softball teams each earned victories on Friday evening at Mylan Park to advance to the Region I championship series for a shot at punching their ticket to the state tournament. The Mohigans moved past John Marshall 2-0 behind a two-hit effort in the circle by Maddie Wisman and some solid defense behind her. 'Maddie's mental aspect is so strong when she's in the circle,' MHS head coach Lorri Lipscomb said. 'She struggled to hit some spots, but she's such a great player and so determined that she plays through those things. If she makes a mistake, she comes right back to make up for it.' The difference-making inning came in the bottom of the third for the Mohigans. Carper Messerly beat out a groundball for an infield single to lead off and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Madi Stone. Messerly was brought around as the next batter, Anne Robinson, smashed a pitch to deep center field for an RBI triple that gave MHS a 1-0 lead. She was brought in to score to double the lead as the next MHS hitter, Grace Robinson, drove her sister home to score with a sacrifice bunt. But those two runs would be the only two of the contest as Wisman dealt the Mohigans to the sectional title and into the Region I state championship series. 'I think we came out and stayed mentally tough throughout the game,' Wisman said. 'We came into the game with the mentality of staying strong and staying up against our opponent. The dugout was into the game and stayed loud. We went into the season with big goals and knowing we want to do big things.' Lipscomb echoed the words of her starting pitcher. 'That chemistry is an important thing,' she said. These girls have each other's backs, and that's been key for our team all year. Faith over fear.' BOX SCORE Morgantown 2, John Marshall 0 JMHS 000 000 0 – 0 2 1 MHS 002 000 X – 2 4 0 John Marshall – Inclan 3000 Shock 2000 Finley 3000 White 3000 Keyser 2010 Babiczuk 3000 Dijkstra 2000 Gonchoff 2000 Finley 2010 Morgantown – A. Robinson 2111 G. Robinson 2001 Alsop 2000 Wisman 2010 Rhodes 3000 Smith 3010 B. Robinson 2000 Messerly 2110 Stone 1000 2B: Wisman 3B: A. Robinson (W) Wisman: 7.0ip 2h 0r 3bb 9k (L) Dijkstra: 6.0ip 4h 2r 2bb 2k University 17, Buckhannon-Upshur 0 The defending state champion Hawks dominated Buckhannon-Upshur 17-0, scoring their runs on the same number of hits. Maddie Campbell pitched a five-inning no-hit effort while also going 4 for 4 at the plate, including a home run in the bottom of the first inning. University jumped out to an early 2-0 advantage in the first inning, including Campbell's homer, and added six more runs in each of the second and third frames. University's Maddie Campbell (3) delivers a pitch against Buckhannon-Upshur on Friday evening. Cassidy Roark/The Dominion Post Three more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning sealed the deal as the Lady Bucs failed to produce a base hit, giving UHS a mercy rule victory to seal the sectional title and a spot in the Region I championship series against the Mohigans. Regionals are set to be held the week of May 19-24.
