Baseball Bucs eliminated from sectional tournament by Bridgeport

Duane Carpenter
May 14, 2023

BRIDGEPORT – The Buckhannon-Upshur baseball Buccaneers saw their season come to an end at the hands of the Bridgeport Indians in an elimination game of their sectional tournament Thursday evening at Bridgeport High School.

The Bucs lost an 18-2 decision in a game called after five innings on the mercy rule.

Bridgeport struck first, scoring four runs in the bottom of the first.

B-U managed a run in the top of the third when Payton Bennett drew a two-out walk, swiped second and raced home on a single to center field by Landon Marple.

Bridgeport blew the game wide open with an eight-run third inning and tacked on six more in the bottom of the fourth for an 18-1 lead.

B-U finished the scoring with a run in the top of the fifth when Zach Calef-Boring doubled to left field and came home on a single by Bennett.

The Bucs had four hits in the game with Calef-Boring, Bennett, Marple and Clint Crites each getting one.

Drahden Rice started the game for the Bucs and suffered the loss going two innings and allowing three earned runs on five hits.

The Bucs closed out their year with a 14-13 record.

Bridgeport and University will meet Monday at 5 p.m. for the sectional crown.

The boxscore:

Buckhannon-Upshur 001 01 – 2

Bridgeport 408 6x – 18

E – Buckhannon-Upshur 4, Bridgeport 0. DP – None. LoB – Buckhannon-Upshur 4, Bridgeport 5. 2B – Calef-Boring, Peasack, Currey. SB – Bennett, Peasack, Baun, Biafore, Via.

Hitting

Buckhannon-Upshur – Zach Calef-Boring 2b, 3 1 1 0; Payton Bennett lf, 2 1 1 1; Landon Marple cf, 3 0 1 1; Ian Donnen c, 2 0 0 0; Clint Crites 3b, 2 0 1 0; Ryan Snyder 1b-p, 2 0 0 0; Jaden Westfall dh-1b, 1 0 0 0; Brayden Hamer ss-p, 2 0 0 0; Elijah Bryant rf, 2 0 0 0; Wyatt Mason p, 0 0 0 0; Drahden Rice p, 0 0 0 0. Totals 19 2 4 2.

Bridgeport – Zach Rohrig 3b, 3 2 1 0; Braeden Bastin cf, 2 3 1 0; Phil Reed c, 3 0 1 1; Sean Via dh, 2 2 1 1; Connor Blake dh, 1 1 1 1; Mark Biafore lf, 3 2 2 2; Carson Currey 2b, 3 2 1 2; Dominick Peasack 1b, 4 1 2 4; Kasen Baun ss, 1 2 0 0; Ashton Curry ss, 1 0 0 0; Grant Lively rf, 2 2 1 1; Cooper pr, 0 1 0 0; Ben Bifano p, 0 0 0 0. Totals 25 18 11 12.

Pitching

Buckhannon-Upshur – Rice (L): 2 innings, 5 hits, 10 runs, 3 earned runs, 4 walks, 1 strikeout; Mason: pitched to 2 batters, 0 hits, 1 run, 1 earned run 1 walk, 0 strikeouts, 1 wild pitch; Hamer: 1 1/3 innings, 3 hits, 5 runs, 5 earned runs, 3 walks, 0 strikeouts, 2 wild pitches; Snyder 2/3 of an inning, 3 hits, 2 runs, 2 earned runs, 1 walk, 1 strikeout, 1 hit batsman (Currey).

Bridgeport – Bifinao (W): 5 innings, 4 hits, 2 runs, 2 earned runs, 2 walks, 5 strikeouts.