Magnolia Baseball Has Mixed Bag; Team Wins Five, Loses Three
Chandler Sapp went the distance for the Blue Eagles April 20, defeating Clarksburg Liberty 4-1. He struck out six batters and walked two, as well as singled for Magnolia’s offense. Kyle Elliott doubled and drove home a run, while Ryan Walton doubled and Grant Cain singled. Zack Wilhoite plated two and reached on a fielder’s choice.
Magnolia 15, Cameron 5
Elliot threw a complete game April 19 at New Martinsville, striking out nine Cameron Dragons in a 15-5 routing of the Marshall County visitors. He also had three singles and brought home a teammate to score.
Magnolia 3,
Wheeling Central 13
The Wheeling Central Maroon Knights scored in every inning and pounded out 11 hits as they defeated the Magnolia Blue Eagles 13-3 in five innings April 18 at George Mullet Field in New Martinsville.
The Maroon scored once in the top of the first, four times in the top of the second, and three times in the top of the third to go up 8-0.
The Eagles pushed across their three runs in the bottom of the third to cut the deficit to 8-3. But the Knights scored five runs over the next three innings to seal the deal.
Sapp and Jason Keller each singled and had an RBI for the Magnolia offense. Jake Starkey and Tanner Hanna shared the mound, combining for one strikeout and eight walks.
Magnolia 12, Valley 1
The Blue Eagles scored six runs in the bottom of the first and never looked back in defeating the Valley Lumberjacks 12-1 in five innings of play April 17 at New Martinsville.
The ‘Jacks hit back-to-back singles from Drew Wade and Hunter Ring, with Wade scoring on Ring’s hit. Sapp struck out two of the next three batters and was helped by a ground out to short by Lumberjack Albert McGuane to end the inning. The Eagles scratched across six runs in the bottom of the first to go up 6-1.
The Jacks went down in order in the top of the second. In the bottom of the second, Elliot singled with one out and scored when the next batter up, Zack Wilhoite, doubled. Wilhoite then scored on a Sapp double with two outs and Sapp came home when Jason Keller also doubled. Sophomore Brantley Hissam struck out to end the inning with the Big Blue Machine up 9-1.
With two outs in the top of the third, Ring drew a walk but was stranded when Sapp struck out the next Lumberjack batter to end the inning. Cain reached on an error by the Valley second baseman to start the bottom of the third and scored when Hanna later singled with one out. Elliot and Wilhoite both grounded out to Brock Stackpole at third, who fired it to first for the out and end of the frame.
McGuane reached on an error to start the top of the fourth. Collin Bates then popped out to Sapp, who then fired it to Bentley Knight at first to double off McGuane.
Tyler Bates then hit a ground ball to Hanna at second, who fired it to Sapp, covering first, to end the inning.
Knight started the bottom of the fourth with a double and later scored when Jason Keller doubled with one out. Jason then advanced to third when younger brother Drew grounded out to Valley’s pitcher, Pete Shaw.
Cain then singled to score Keller and Walton hit a ground ball to the Valley shortstop who relayed it to second baseman Chase West to get Cain on a force to end the inning. After four innings of play, the Eagles led 12-1.
In the top of the fifth, the ‘Jacks drew a walk with two outs. Then, Wade grounded out to second to end the game, securing the win for Magnolia.
Hitting for the Blue Eagles offense were: Jason Keller with two doubles, a single, and four RBI; Cain, who doubled, singled twice, and brought home two runners; Wilhoite, with three RBI, a single, and a double; Hanna, who singled and doubled, while Knight added his own double for the Blue’s offensive attack.
For Valley, McGuane was charged with the loss, striking out one and walking one, while Pete Shaw sat down no Blue Eagle batsmen and walked none. Wade and Ring each singled and drove in runners for Valley.
Magnolia 0,
Parkersburg South 15
The Parkersburg South Patriots blanked the Magnolia Blue Eagles 15-0 in five innings on April 16 at Parkersburg. Elliot had two hits for Magnolia which included a double while Walton tripled.
Magnolia 15, Sissonville 5
The Eagles prevailed 15-5 against Sissonville in a six-inning away game April 14. Hanna was the winning pitcher with seven strikeouts and one walk. He also had two singles for the Magnolia offense.
Knight hit a single, two doubles, and drove home five teammates to score. Elliott had a home run and two RBI, while Jason Keller singled, doubled, and drove in three. Walton had a single and two RBIs and Sapp singled and drove in one run.
Magnolia 5,
Herbert Hoover 11
Hanna drove in three teammates, but it was not enough as the Herbert Hoover Huskies scattered 16 hits in defeating the Magnolia Blue Eagles 11-5 in game one of a double header on April 14 at Sissonville.
In the top of the first, the Huskies got on the board with a run. But, in the bottom of the first, the Big Blue quickly jumped ahead as they scored three runs to go up after one inning. In the top of the second,
Hoover scored another run and held Magnolia in check in the bottom of the second. In the top of the third, with Magnolia leading 3-2, the Huskies overtook the Blue Eagles for good, putting four runs on the board. Hoover once again held the Eagles scoreless in the home half of the third with a 6-3 lead.
In the next frame, the Huskies scored again with another run and again held the Big Blue in check to go up 7-3. After four innings of play, both teams put up a pair of runs
In the fifth the Huskies still lead 9-5. In the top of the sixth, the Huskies scored the final runs of the game to come away with an 11-5 victory.
Hitting for the Eagles were Hanna, with three RBIs and Sapp, who doubled. The Eagles scored five runs on four hits and hurt themselves with four errors.
The Huskies scored 11 runs on 16 hits and committed one error. Elliot and Knight shared the mound for Magnolia, combining to strike out four and walked two with Elliot being charged with the loss.
Magnolia 20,
Tyler Consolidated 6
Magnolia scored at least three runs in every inning and pounded out 14 hits as they thumped the Tyler Consolidated Silver Knights April 12 in Kidwell.
The Blue Eagles scored four runs in each of the first three innings to go up 12-0 after three innings of play. They then scored five in the top of the fourth and three more in the top of the fifth to go up 20-0.
The Silver Knights did score six runs in the bottom of the fifth, but they came against most of the Magnolia JV team and it was too little, too late for the Knights as the Eagles won 20-6.
Hitting for Magnolia were Elliott, Hanna, Knight, Cain, and freshman Soren Shade, who singled twice.
Elliot had two doubles and three RBIs. Hanna and Knight each singled twice and brought home three Blue Eagles, while Cain and freshman Soren Shade both singled twice. Shade also was credited with an RBI.
Walton had two singles and a triple and Jason Keller drove in three Big Blue runners. Sapp singled and had an RBI.
Starkey got the win from mound, going five innings, striking out five and walking three.
The Eagles scored 20 runs on 14 hits and one error, while the Knights scored six runs on four hits and committed seven errors.