Charleston, W.Va.—
The Generals as the one seed welcoming Lewis county as the four seed.
In the bottom of the first, wasting no time to put points on the board, Dylan Kuhl flies one out to right field. It’s caught for the out, but it gets the job done because it gives the runner on third plenty of time to slide home, making it one to nothing.
Zach James and Joseph Aman for the Minutemen are both walked in the top of the second, but they’re left stranded.
In the bottom of the second, Winfield is showing no mercy, Blake Withrow not planning to leave his runner on first. He fires one out left that’s just out of reach for the left fielder. He wheels his way around for the triple and adds one more to the board.
Next AB, it’s chopped to Brayden Carder on the mound who makes the decision to try for the out at home. Luke Davisson stands his ground to get the out for the Minutemen.
But that only adds fuel to the fire for the Generals, with two on, Xavier Hensley with the line drive to right field. He gets the double and sends two runners home while doing it.
In the bottom of the third, Winfield leads four to nothing. Kuhl again, this time with a chopper down the left foul line that gets past the third baseman allowing him to make it to first. He goes for second and that throw gets past the second baseman too, allowing him to reach third…
To finish off the inning, Brett Bumgarner to the dish, with a sacrifice fly out to right center field that gives Kuhl plenty of time to come sliding into home making it look easy. It’s now six to nothing.
In the top of the seventh, Lewis bats picking up, Carder floats one over the shortstops head and gets the easy single. It’s just in time because Joseph Aman barrels one out into empty space that gives Carder plenty of time to wheel his way home. It’s now 6-1 when Grant Mealey is walked. Trenton Hunt now, he rolls one to the shortstop who cannot make the grab, allowing him to single and Mealey to belly flop into third. Hot bats are contagious because Zach James finds an open spot in shallow left center that brings in another runner for the Minutemen, making them trail 6-2.
Those hot bats came just a little too late. While head coach Tyler Wood is disappointed in the outcome, he is still proud of his team.