NOTE: According to BHS Coach Robert Shields, barring a late severe weather pattern, Bridgeport's opening round sectional game at the BHS complex is set for 6 p.m. tonight. Shields confirmed at 4 p.m. everything was ready to go.

 

When the end of the regular season came Saturday in Kanawha County for the Bridgeport baseball team, certainly there was reason to be happy. After all, the Indians had just managed to beat not just one, but two Class AAA top-10 ranked teams on the road.

 

On top of that, the Indians managed to secure a 20-win season as the Tribe now stands at 21-6 on the year. And they head into the Class AA, Region II, Section 3 baseball tournament as the top seed and the prohibitive favorite.

 

While that certainly is something to be proud of, it’s not unusual. In fact, the 20-win season is the 21^st time it has happened in BHS Coach Robert Shields’ 30-year career. Being the favorite in the sectional is also second nature as the Indians have actually won an astounding 27 of 29 sectional championships during Shields’ tenure.

 

However, Shields and his teams haven’t accomplished those things simply by resting on their laurels. Rather, the Indians have done it by worrying about what lies ahead of them.

 

“The wins are great, and how we finished the season is great, but right now our only focus is on our sectional game and advancing,” said Shields.

 

Bridgeport received a first-round bye in the sectional. The Indians will host Robert C. Byrd, a 2-1 winner Monday over Lincoln, at 6 p.m. in the Class AA, Region II, Section 4 game. If the contest is delayed due to weather, it will be played Wednesday at the same time at Bridgeport’s complex.

 

“We’ll be starting Hunter (Haddix),” said Shields of who will get the ball on the mound of the first postseason game where the Indians will be looking to defend back-to-back state championships. “He was going to be one of our top pitchers this year regardless, but with our injuries he’s made the most of every big game opportunity we’ve put him in and earned the start.”

 

Of course, the Indians earned the No. 1 seed in the tournament and the state’s No. 1 ranking thanks to a dominant season that ended with wins over Nitro and George Washington Saturday. BHS beat NHS by an 8-0 score and came back to beat the Patriots by a 9-3 score.

 

“We played well and got strong pitching out of Hunter and Tanner (Furbee) in the Nitro game and then we got the same thing from Brine (Takahashi) and Brayden (Lesher) in the second one,” said Shields. “Our pitching couldn’t have worked out any better.”

 

In the first game, Nitro never found its rhythm against Haddix who went four innings and gave up two hits and no walks with a strikeout. Furbee went three frames and yielded no hits and just one walk, while striking out three.

 

Surprisingly, Bridgeport went hitless through the first four innings, said Shields. Then, everything changed in the fifth.

 

“We weren’t doing anything offensively and then we broke out. We sent 14 men to the plate,” said Shields.

 

Those 14 batters produced all eight runs. And that was more than enough. Joseph Dodrill was the only BHS player with a two-hit day as he finished 2-for-3.

 

In the GWHS game, after falling behind 2-1 after one inning the Indians put the game away. A three-run second and a four-run third was more than enough for Takahashi and Lesher. Takashi went four frames and allowed two runs on four hits with two walks and a strikeout. Lesher’s three innings saw one run on no hits, a pair of walks and two strikeouts.

 

The Tribe 14 hits against three Patriot pitchers. Koby Kiefer, Dante Bonamico, and Drew Hefner all had two hits in the game. Elijah Drummond added a double in the win.

 

“It was good to end the regular season with two quality wins like that,” said Shields. “Right now, we’re back to square one. Nothing we did in the regular season will matter if we don’t take care of business right now.”

 

The sectional tournament is double elimination. The Indians will be without the services of starting pitchers Logan Smith and Jared Cleghorn due to season-ending injuries. Second baseman J.T. Harris is expected to return.

 

Editor's Note: Top photo shows Hunter Haddix delivering during a home game earlier this year, while Assistant Coach Pete Iquinto, left, talks shop with Coach Robert Shields in the second photo. Second baseman J.T. Harris is shown below. Photos by www.benqueenphotography.com.