With Bridgeport heading south today to take part in the Ed Carter Tournament at Saint Albans, things appear to be pretty good for the four-time defending Class AA state champions. The Indians are 10-1, they haven’t lost to an in-state opponent and they’re ranked No. 1 in Class AA.

 

Whether the winning continues and the ranking remains the same after the weekend remains to be seen. Bridgeport will face Riverside at 4 p.m. and then battle host school Saint Albans at 7 p.m. Who they play on Saturday will be determined by the outcomes of today’s game in the two-day bracketed tournament.

 

Even with the strong start, veteran BHS Coach Robert Shields is still concerned with his team.

 

“We’ve developed some consistency, but like last year at this time it’s not an every inning thing. There are mistakes the public doesn’t see that are problematic,” said Shields. “We’re issuing too many walks, we’re often in the wrong place defensively when the ball is put in play, we’re having problems with our communication and that’s led to mental miscues.

 

“We absolutely have to get better at those things and things like our base running,” he continued. “We’re winning, which is a great thing, but eventually that’s going to come back and haunt us.”

 

So far that hasn’t been the case. Since the 4-0 start, the Indians have barely slowed down in piling up wins – starting on Wednesday, April 11. In a battle of top 10 Class AA squads, the Indians went on the road and picked up a 12-5 win against East Fairmont on the road.

 

The Indians jumped out to an 8-1 lead after two innings and added three more insurance runs in the top of the seventh to secure the win. Chapin Murphy came on in relief to get the win by going four innings and allowed one run on one hit and three walks. He also struck out three.

 

While three BHS pitchers held the Bees to three hits, the Tribe pounded out 11 hits in the game. Koby Kiefer led the way with three hits, while Brayden Lesher and Nick Stalnaker had a pair of hits in the win. Brice Haines added a double for the winners.

 

Bridgeport took last Thursday (April 12) off prior to playing four games in two days in the annual McDonald’s Classic. And Bridgeport started off the tournament with a bang.

 

The Tribe hosted Erie McDowell out of Pennsylvania for two games last Friday.  In the first game, Bridgeport belted three home runs – including two grand slams – in a 12-2 hammering of the Trojans.

 

Murphy was responsible for the first home run in the third inning, which was a solo shot. Bridgeport got all the offensive it would need in the third after loading the bases without the benefit of a hit and Nate Cole made McDowell pay. He drilled a grand slam to right for a 5-1 lead and all the offense Lesher would need on the mound.

 

However, he would get more. Up 6-2 in the sixth, Shields turned to Drew Harbert to pinch hit with the bases loaded and the decision proved wise. Harbert got all of a Trojan offering to left for a 10-2 advantage. BHS would add two more runs to end the game early by way of the mercy rule.

 

“I don’t ever remember that ever happening before in any game I’ve been involved with,” said Shields. “Getting two grand slams is a rarity for one season, let alone in one ball game.”

 

Lesher went five innings and gave up one run on two hits and four walks. He struck out four. Murphy and Stalnaker led the offense with three hits each – both players had a double in their total.

 

In the second game, things didn’t go as well. Bridgeport fell behind 7-0 after three innings and then watched Erie post an eight-spot in the sixth to fall 15-0 in six innings.

 

Bridgeport managed just one hit in the game and that came courtesy of a single by Lesher. Koby Kiefer suffered the setback for the Tribe on the mound.

 

Despite the first loss of the season, the Indians didn’t seem too rattled. The club responded Saturday with wins against Spring Mills and Liberty Raleigh. The Tribe beat the Cardinals 5-2 and topped the Raiders 6-3.

 

Tim Via pitched four scoreless innings and gave up two hits and three walks, while striking out three, to get the win. Tyler Pitzer came on late to squelch a SMHS rally and earn the save.

 

Stalnaker led Bridgeport’s six-hit attack with a pair of hits that included a double. Lesher also had a double in the win.

 

Against Liberty-Raleigh, BHS overcame a pair of one-run deficits as well as a late tie to get the win. Bridgeport finally took control by breaking a 3-3 tie with a run in the fifth inning and two more in the sixth to earn the victory.

 

Cole got the win in relief. He went the final five innings and gave up 1 run and didn’t allow a hit. However, he walked six and struck out eight.

 

Kiefer and Tanner Bifano both had a pair of hits for Bridgeport.  One of Kiefer’s hits was a triple.

 

Although flooding wiped out action at the start of the week, the Indians were able to get two wins in Clarksburg Wednesday. The Indians beat Robert C. Byrd 10-1 and then rallied to beat Elkins by a 3-2 score

 

Bridgeport was able to get a huge pitching effort from Pitzer to get the win. He went the distance and scattered eight hits and struck out six. However, he didn’t walk a batter in the contest.

 

“Too many games we’ve given up too many free passes … and that turns over the lineup and it allows the other teams’ top hitters to get additional at bats and you don’t want that to happen. Tyler showed the advantage of what happens when you don’t give up the walks,” said Shields. “He was throwing contact pitches, strikes, and his 80 pitches kept the defense on their toes. You get that type of pitching with a defense that didn’t allow an error and you can make things happen.”

 

The Tribe took advantage of 13 hits and three walks to get the win. A four-run second was more than enough offense, but Bridgeport added three runs in the fifth and the seventh to cap the win.

 

Cole and Austin Sponaugle led the way with two hits each. Cole’s hit total included a home run, while Vincenzo Cava belted a double.

 

With the Bridgeport field still too wet, the Eagles allowed Bridgeport to host Elkins at their complex after their game. And the contest proved to be a bit dicey.

 

Bridgeport had to rally for two runs in the bottom of the seventh and added the winning run in the bottom of the eighth. Trey Pancake would prove to be the hero for the Indians.

 

With Brayden Lesher on base, Pancake delivered the game-winning hit. The base hit not only secured the win, but moved the Tribe to 10-1 on the year.

 

Bridgeport scored two with its back to the wall in the seventh. Murphy scored on Stalnaker’s double and an error would eventually allow Stalnaker to keep Bridgeport alive and force extras.

 

“I was impressed that we dug in and when we got guys on base late we made things happen. Before that, we simply didn’t put the ball in play,” said Shields. “We were swinging with two strikes like we had no strikes on us at all. When you take those big swings with two strikes you put yourself in trouble and it nearly cost us the game.”

 

Mark Lavezza got the win in three innings of relief. He allowed just one hit against no walks and struck out three.

 

Bridgeport’s game Thursday at Elkins was postponed due to weather. A makeup date has not yet been announced.

 

Editor's Note: Photos from recent action by Joey Signorelli of www.benqueenphotography.com.