MCHENRY — Garrett County had more hits, 10-6, but an opportunistic Morgantown dealt Post 71/208/214 its first loss of the season.
Nate Wolfe’s two-out RBI single in fifth gave Morgantown a two-run cushion, which was just enough to hold off a late Garrett County rally in a 5-4 victory on Tuesday at Garrett College.
“I’m pleased with the effort today,” Garrett County manager Phil Carr said. “It’s our first loss, but we knew coming in we were undermanned for sure.”
Garrett County fell to 5-1 on the summer. Morgantown improved to 4-1.
Garrett County was without four starters due to summer vacations, but Cole Folk tied the game at 2 in the second with an RBI single, and Folk cut the deficit to 4-3 with another RBI knock the following frame.
A wild pitch plated Reece Tasker to again pull Garrett County within a run in the seventh. Morgantown left-hander Hayden Jones, who is a freshman at Concord University, stranded the tying run at second by inducing a groundout.
“I told the guys, ‘We were a little undermanned with the guys missing and whatnot, we just had enough to play, so let’s go out and compete today,’” Carr said. “We did that.”
Jones picked up the victory in relief, allowing a run on four hits in four innings. He struck out five and walked none.
Morgantown’s offense was led by Kane Williams, who is transferring from Allegany to Morgantown next season. Williams belted an RBI triple in the third, later scoring on a wild pitch.
Tasker, Folk, Hunter Livengood and Ryan Bird all had multiple hits for Garrett County.
“We generated some offense,” Carr said. “Last kid that came in, the lefty. He threw the ball pretty well, and we scored off of him.”
Livengood produced Garrett’s first run in the second inning, faking a bunt and pulling it back to slap an RBI double over the Morgantown center fielder’s head.
Jared Haskiell was dealt the loss on the bump for Garrett, allowing five runs on six hits in five innings. The right-hander struck out seven and walked four.
Right-handed pitcher Brayden Upole pitched two scoreless innings of relief.
Tasker, the Garrett County catcher, threw out a pair of would-be base-stealers in the fourth and fifth innings, respectively.
“We had Jared to throw, which helped, he kept us in the game,” Carr said. “Two of their runs scored on a wild pitch and a passed ball. We had the one error. We played pretty good defense. Our infield was intact.
“Besides Lohr in center, who is a left fielder, we had an infielder in left and a catcher in right. They did pretty well.”
Garrett County hopes to bounce back at Potomac Valley Post 64 on Friday at 6 p.m. at Keyser High School.