By Carl Holcomb
Moorefield Examiner
The Broadway Gobblers roamed free on balks and walks rallying to escape the Cougars den for a 9-8 win over East Hardy in Baker last Monday.
Broadway learned to adapt and overcome the challenges in the game for the victory.
“We have been blessed with some kids that enjoy the game of baseball. Sometimes you hit the ball right at them and sometimes you hit it in the air, but you can’t feel sorry for yourself. It is just like life, we are trying to apply the rules of life to what we are teaching these kids on the baseball field. Not everything is going to go your way and you have to learn not to pout. You’ve got to learn that failure is not fatal. We had a kid in his first career varsity start, Dale Showalter did an incredible job and was under 70 pitches entering that final inning and that takes a gutsy performance. We made some errors behind him, but he kept going. He didn’t put and didn’t pout. He did everything he could to help us win the game, That’s what baseball is all about, coming together as a team. There might be individual making plays, but you work together as a team. You come together as a team for a bigger purpose and that’s the same way in life. You have to roll with adversity and take accountability and be responsible enough to get better and not bitter,” Broadway coach George Laase remarked.
East Hardy starting pitcher Gage Dove issued a walk to Broadway leadoff batter Zechariah Stuhlmiller to open the game, then hit Colby Fesler with a pitch.
The Gobblers capitalized as Josiah Crider connected for an RBI single into right field.
Broadway created another run on a sacrifice fly by Jackson Plogger for a 2-nil edge.
Chistian Rivera singled for the Gobblers, then the Cougars ended the side as Dove pitched two straight strikeouts.
The Cougars pounced for a 6-2 advantage in the bottom of the first inning.
Broadway pitcher Dale Showalter got defensive help with a fly ball caught in center field off the bat of East Hardy leadoff hitter Evan Hamilton.
East Hardy hit back-to-back-to-back singles off the bats of Shayne Sisler, Garrett Van Meter and Levi Price with the latter creating a run, 2-1.
Gage Dove reached base on an error to load the bases for the Cougars.
East Hardy tied the game as Jordan Teets launched an RBI single into right field.
The Cougars took a 4-2 edge as Mason Wilkins and Dayton Dove hit RBI singles.
A bases loaded walk to Patrick Mills plated another run for East Hardy.
Hamilton recorded an RBI sacrifice fly extending the Cougars lead to 6-2 before a fielder’s choice ended the frame.
Broadway went down in order during the second inning on two groundouts and a pop-up.
Price reached base on an error and Gage Dove singled, but both were stranded on a strikeout and flyout.
The Gobblers came up empty again in the third inning on a groundout and two flyouts.
Mills got on base due to an error with one out, but the Gobblers turned a double play to end the inning.
Broadway’s Mason Caplinger smashed a solo home run with two outs in the fourth inning to slice the deficit to 6-3.
East Hardy pitcher Jordan Teets issued a walk, then the defense made a fielder’s choice to retire the side.
East Hardy’s Garrett Van Meter hammered a solo home run with one out in the bottom half of the fourth inning for a 7-3 score.
After a strikeout, Gage Dove singled on a sharp grounder to the shortstop and was stranded on a groundout.
The Gobblers landed the bases in the fifth inning and only managed to score once off a walk from East Hardy pitcher Krystian Byram before a fielder’s choice ended any further attacks.
East Hardy went down in order on a pop-up and two groundouts.
Broadway rallied for a 9-7 lead in the sixth inning as Allen singled and Slater reached base on an error.
Stuhlmiller garnered an RBI sacrifice fly to start the comeback, 7-5.
After a groundout, East Hardy pitcher Patrick Mills issued an intentional walk.
Mills pitched another walk and committed two balks creating more runs for the Gobblers.
Crider delivered a two-run home run to put Broadway ahead 9-7 off pitcher Gage Dove, who retired the next batter with a strikeout.
Hamilton singled for the Cougars, then Sisler hit into a double play.
Van Meter singled and base runner Kaden Barrett was stranded on a strikeout to Price.
The Gobblers went down in order in the seventh inning on a groundout, flyout and strikeout.
East Hardy had one final shot to rally and Gage Dove ripped a double into center field to get things rolling.
Teets followed with a single into center field as the Cougars were now poised to strike.
Mason Wilkins notched an RBI groundout for a 9-8 score.
Broadway pitcher Tyler Hedrick denied the comeback with back-to-back strikeouts on Dayton Dove and Mills to end the game and secure a 9-8 win for the Gobblers to roam free back to Virginia.
