Worth the wait

Berkeley Springs and Frankfort were scheduled to meet in Short Gap on Tuesday, May 11, in the opening round of Class AA high school sectional baseball play. However, Mother Nature threw the longtime rivals a curve ball and they did not meet until Friday, May 14. However, nothing was decided on Friday either, as rain and lightning suspended play with Berkeley Springs leading, 1-0, in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Freshman Tyler Holt started for the Indians and scattered six hits through the first five innings, allowing no runs with four strikeouts and a walk.

The Indians took their precarious one-run lead back to Mineral County the following day (Saturday). Another freshman, Jared Spielman, worked the final two innings for the Tribe to earn his fifth save of the year. Spielman hit the first batter he faced, but then set down the next six batters in order to preserve the Indian win.

Lucas Redick scored the games lone run in the second, when he led off with a single, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Alex Lake and then scored on a throwing error. With one out and Redick on second, Ben Griffith hit a ground ball back to the pitcher. Frankfort's pitcher tossed the runner out at first while Redick broke for third. The throw from the first baseman back to third got away and Redick trotted home with, what proved to be, the winning run.

TJ Lambert and Andrew Rickli had Berkeley Springs other two hits.

"This is the kind of ball we like playing," said Berkeley Springs Coach Trey Barcus. “Our kids don't get intimidated. We have a lot of respect for Frankfort. They are ranked second in the state and have a very good team. It is the best team they've had in the five years I've been coaching at Berkeley Springs. Like I said, we respect them, but we don't fear them. Not a lot of people were giving us a chance, but the kids in our dugout believe in themselves."

The win put the Indians in the driver's seat to win their fifth consecutive sectional title.

Frankfort, which beat Keyser later on Saturday, must now beat Berkeley Springs two consecutive games to wrest the sectional crown from the Indians.

"We have two games to win one, but we aren't approaching it like that," said Barcus. “We are going into Thursday's game with the idea of wrapping up the sectional. We don't want to have to go back to Frankfort. All of the pressure is on them."

Barcus intends to start Holt once more, when the sectional tournament resumes in Berkeley Springs at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 20. Should the Falcons win, the deciding game will be played in Short Gap on May 21.

The winner of the sectional will advance to the regional semifinal in Grafton on May 24.