KEYSER, W.Va. — Potomac Valley Post 64 clinched a spot in the West Virginia state tournament on Wednesday, but it wanted more.
With the Area 4 championship at stake, Post 64 swept a two-game final against the Berkeley Post 14 Hornets on Thursday.
“We knew both teams were out of pitching, it came down to hitters,” Post 64 head coach Jeff Broadwater said. “We knew we were gonna have to outhit them. I was proud of them, they didn’t let up, showed a lot of composure.”
Post 64 (15-13) took Game 1 10-2, then rallied late to win Game 2, 9-8.
In the second game, Potomac Valley put on a home run derby, sending three balls over the outfield fence.
The first two were gone as soon as they left the bat.
Logan Rotruck got the derby under way in the top of the first, sending a blast to deep left center for a two-run shot that put Post 64 up 3-0.
After the Hornets (18-10) cut it to 3-2, JJ Charlton stepped in with one on and one out in the top of the third.
He drove a ball high and deep to left for another two-run shot that extended Potomac Valley’s lead to 5-2.
“I’d been seeing the ball well this whole tournament, so I was just thinking drive the ball up the middle,” Charlton said. “He messed up and threw me a middle in pitch, I was able to put a good turn on it.”
In the top of the fourth, Noah Broadwater led off with a four-pitch walk.
Blake Jacobs was next and sent a fly ball deep to left center. The center fielder leaped at the fence, but Jacobs got just enough to leave the park.
“Top to bottom, we got power up and down our lineup,” coach Broadwater said of his team. “We’re all rolling, I think we’re gonna be a major force at the state level.”
It was another two-run home run that pushed Post 64’s lead up to 7-2.
In the bottom of the fourth, Post 14 started to rally.
Christian Alter hit a liner over the shortstop for a hit, then three straight hits drove in a run.
Jordan Canby, Cameron Moore and Carson Boober each picked up RBIs as the Hornets cut the deficit to 7-5.
A wild pitch made it a one-run game, then a line drive to center from Braeden Oviedo tied the game at 7.
Charlton stopped the bleeding with a diving catch in center.
Potomac Valley answered in the top of the fifth with another walk by Broadwater.
He stole second and took third on a wild pitch. Jacobs brought him home on an RBI groundout that put Post 64 back up 8-7.
Post 14 put two on in the bottom of the fifth, and a sacrifice fly RBI by Moore evened it at 8-all.
“You just gotta credit them, we were doing what we wanted to,” coach Broadwater said. “We were making the pitches we wanted to, they were just hitting the balls.”
In the top of the seventh, Noah Broadwater hit a ground ball off the mound for a hit, then Jacobs drew a walk.
Two batters later, Rotruck stepped in and faced a full count with two outs.
He lined the ball into left for the go-ahead RBI single.
“Full count, I just gotta put something in play here,” he said. “He threw me an inside fastball, I just turned on it.”
In Wednesday’s game against the Knights, the second inning was the difference.
Post 64 scored six runs in Wednesday’s game, leading to a 15-0 win, then struck for four in the second on Thursday.
Three of the runs came off one swing as Broadwater went deep to right center to put Post 64 up 5-1.
Potomac Valley sealed the win in the seventh with another four-run frame. Post 64 recorded three straight RBI doubles from Jacob Nething, Chase Davis and Tyson Arnold.
Broadwater had a big game with two hits, a home run and two stolen bases.
He also went six innings, allowing two runs on five hits and two walks with five strikeouts.
“He just kinda has their number it feels like,” coach Broadwater said. “He’s just a competitor, when he takes the mound, he backs himself up with the bat.”
Across four games at the Area 4 tournament, Post 64 outhit its opponents 50-29.
Charlton and Rotruck were among the standouts.
Charlton recorded eight hits, including two doubles and a home run. He recorded a hit in all four games and also stole five bases.
“He’s one of those guys who’d run through a wall for you,” coach Broadwater said. “He’ll do anything you ask and he’s like a sponge. In the high school season, he put a lot of pressure on himself. He’s just been putting in effort everyday in the cage.”
Rotruck had six hits including two home runs and five RBIs.
Potomac Valley heads to the state tournament beginning on Thursday at Martinsburg High School.
“I think it’s just skyrocketing,” Rotruck said of the team’s confidence. “”We just need to keep rolling.”
The winner of the state tournament advances to the Region 2 Mid-Atlantic tournament, beginning on Wednesday, Aug. 7, at Joe Cannon Stadium in Hanover, Maryland.