Wheeling Central tops Madonna in finally finished sectional game
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WHEELING -- It may have taken a bit longer than expected, but the Wheeling Central Maroon Knights and Madonna Blue Dons did play out their W.Va. Class A, Region 1, Section 1 playoff contest Monday, the Knights blasting off after a delayed launch with a 9-0 victory.
The sectional outing was originally scheduled for last Thursday, but was postponed until Friday, then Saturday, because of inclement weather. The two teams got three innings deep into their contest Saturday before being rained out and resuming, finally, on Monday.
Central led 4-0 at the end of Saturday's portion of play, and the game resumed right from where they left off, the Knights leading at the top of the fourth.
Madonna got off to a good start- or re-start- with Grant Wilharm doubling to left center in the top of the fourth, and a second Blue Don getting aboard on a walk, but Central's Steven Brodegard got out of the inning with a swinging strikeout to keep Madonna off the board.
After going ahead 4-0 Saturday, Wheeling Central scored three more in the bottom of the fourth Monday.
The Knights drew three straight walks to load the bases, and each of those three -- Brayden Cover, Hunter Mueller, and Luke Tiu- came around to score. Eli Tucker drove in a run on an RBI groundout, and Gary Hatfield plated two with a single smacked to left field.
Tiu looped an RBI single into left in the fifth to make it 8-0 Central.
Wilharm finished with two hits for Madonna, both doubles, and the only hits for the Blue Dons between Saturday and Monday.
Matthew Geer, Jacob Lazear and TJ DeCapio combined to pitch seven for the Blue Dons. Geer was saddled with the loss.
The Knights' Braxton Billick and Gary Hatfield each had two hits, Hatfield coming up with a two-bagger and four total RBI. Seth Cover had two RBI of his own. Eli Tucker doubled, stole a base and drove in a run. Tiu and Zayne Rosnick also had RBI for Central.
Brodegard pitched six innings, striking out nine in a sterling outing. Landon Prager pitched one inning to finish the shutout.
Central has now come out on top in their last three outings against Madonna.
Madonna now faces Cameron, the winner of that game set to face Wheeling Central once again. Either Madonna or Cameron will have to beat Central twice to win the section. Central needs one win to clinch.
W.Va. Class A, Region 1, Section 1
Wheeling Central 9, Madonna 0
Madonna 000 000 0 - 0 2 2
Whg. Cent. 400 311 x - 9 8 0
M-Geer lp (2K, 0BB), Lazear (4) (0K, 3BB), DeCapio (4) (1K, 3BB) and Gontas; Wilharm 2D.
WC-Brodegard wp (9K, 3BB), Prager (7) (1K, 0BB) and Lipinski; Tucker D, S, rbi; Hatfield D, 4rbi; S. Cover 2rbi; Rosnick rbi; Tiu rbi.