CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Keyser’s historic season came to an end in the West Virginia Class AA title game, falling 3-0 to Winfield on Saturday at GoMart Ballpark.
The story of the game was missed opportunities by the Golden Tornado (21-7).
“When we had opportunities, we didn’t capitalize,” Keyser head coach Scott Rohrbaugh said. “When they did, they capitalized. The final was 3-0, so it was a good game. It’s just that we left guys on base, just couldn’t get the hits when we needed them today.”
Keyser went 2 for 11 with runners on base and 2 for 10 with runners in scoring position.
In the first inning, Noah Broadwater and Caden Youngblood singled. With two runners on, a called strikeout stranded both to end the inning.
“We just couldn’t put the ball where we needed to,” Keyser shortstop Seth Healy said. “Hit the ball, line drives. Just couldn’t get the runners in.”
The Tornado loaded the bases in the second inning. Josh Shoemaker doubled into left that sailed over the left fielder’s head. A walk and a single by Hunter Harr loaded the bases with no outs.
Two strikeouts and a flyout left three runners on to end the inning.
“He mixed it up, kind of kept us off balance,” Rohrbaugh said of Winfield starting pitcher Dylan Kuhl. “He kept us off balance and we’d either get a weak fly ball or pop up. His off-speed worked pretty good today.”
Another factor for Keyser was uncharacteristic defensive mistakes. The Tornado committed three errors including two in the third inning.
Karson Frye tripled into left and scored on a Quincy Miller bunt. It gave the Generals (30-9) a 1-0 lead and moved Miller to second base on an error.
Preston Keiffer singled to left center, driving in a run and taking second on Keyser’s second error of the inning.
“It just happens, you boot the ball once in a while,” Rohrbaugh said of the errors. “I don’t think those three errors were the turning point of the game. The turning point of the game was we couldn’t get a hit when we had runners in scoring position.”
Up 2-0 heading into the fourth, a triple by Brett Bumgarner added a run to Winfield’s lead.
After loading the bases in the second, the Tornado were retired in order the next three innings.
The Generals loaded the bases in the sixth inning after a walk, a hit batter and a Bumgarner single.
On a full count with two outs, Winfield was caught looking for a strikeout.
“Down 3-0 is a lot better than down 6-0 or 7-0,” Rohrbaugh said. “When Noah was able to get out of that, it gave us a shot.”
Youngblood led off the sixth with a triple, but Keyser was retired after two line outs to the infield.
Keyser went down in order in the seventh to end its season.
Broadwater went six innings, allowing seven hits, two earned runs and a walk with eight strikeouts.
“He gave up three runs, but both of us had about the same number of hits,” Rohrbaugh said. “It was a well-played game on both sides.”
Youngblood led the Tornado with two hits. Broadwater, Shoemaker and Healy each had one. They were all named to the Class AA All-Tournament team along with Patrick Liller.
“They’ve all been a key part of the team,” Rohrbaugh said. “They’re some of our best performers. They get recognized, but there’s another four or five that’s doing just as well.”
Healy will represent Keyser in the West Virginia North-South All-Star Game on Sunday at George Washington High School in Charleston, West Virginia at noon. Petersburg’s Bumby Van Meter will also play.
“It means a lot,” Healy said. “It’s one more chance to get out there and play the sport I love one more time in high school.”
Kuhl went the distance for Winfield, allowing five hits and two walks with seven strikeouts.
Bumgarner and Maddox Shaffer led the Generals with two hits.
Winfield claimed its fourth state title in school history and first since 2002.
The Golden Tornado made its first appearance in the state title game since 1969 and in the state tournament since 1997.
“Nobody here except for us, the team and our fans expected us to go this far,” Healy said. “At the beginning of the season, nobody expected us to be playing in a state championship. And we did that.”