WEIRTON - Madonna won its fourth straight city baseball championship last in a rain-shortened two and a half inning ballgame under the lights at Ed Bowman Field with a 6-0 victory over Weir High.
It was Senior Night for the home standing Blue Dons and four of the six seniors that were honored played key roles in the victory.
While senior righthander, Logan Linder, was hurling hitless ball through three innings, Nick Battista, Connor Mogan, and Chris Duerr brought out the bats. Mogan led the way with three singles and two runs batted in, Battista singled, drew two walks, stole two bases and scored three times, and Duerr rapped two singles and drove in a run.
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CHAMPS — The Weirton Madonna baseball team won the city championship for the fourth year in a row.
-- Mike Mathison
"This was a good way to finish the regular season and go into the sectional," said Madonna coach, Jeff Baire. "We were aggressive on the bases, made the routine plays on defense and just did a lot of things well."
Madonna scored six runs in the bottom of the third inning and were still at bat when a hard rain shower forced the umpires to stop the game. It was later decided that it was futile to continue so Weir High coach, Bob Rosnick, conceded. Since the third inning wasn't complete, those six runs don't officially count.
"This game certainly isn't indicative of the Weir High team I know," Baire continued. "Coach Rosnick has had to shuffle his lineup because of injuries. However, I'm pleased with the way we have been playing since our trip to the Cleveland area last Saturday and it's a good time to be doing that."
Fact Box
Madonna 6, Weir 0
Weir 0 0 0 - 0 0 2
Madonna 5 1 (6) - 6 10 1
WEIR: Viakley LP (1K, 2BB), Schwartz miller (2, 1K, 1BB) and Beck.
MADONNA: Linder WP (4K, 1BB) and Duerr; Battista S, 2W, 3R; Comis S, 2R, RBI; Mogan 3S, 1R, 2RBI; Duerr 2S, RBI; L. Fuscardo S, 2R, RBI; Ossman 2S, R, 2RBI; Fulmer R.
Madonna heads into sectional play Monday at 5 p.m. at John Marshall Field in Moundsville against Wheeling Central. The winner plays top seeded Bishop Donahue on Tuesday.
"Madonna is a great team," said Rosnick, whose Red Riders also head into sectional play next week. "Linder is by far the best pitcher we have seen all year. We have some work to do before the sectional."
Weir High goes to Oak Glen Tuesday at 5 p.m. for the first of a three-game sectional series.
