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The Parry McCluer High School baseball team won both games of a home doubleheader against Liberty (Bedford) to open the season on Thursday night in Buena Vista.
The Fighting Blues (2-0), a Class 1 team, were taking on a larger Class 3 team in Liberty, and PM won the first game 7-4 before pulling away for a 16-10 win in its first game under the new lights. Both contests were slated to be five-inning games, but the 10-10 tie after five innings in the second game forced a sixth inning, in which the Blues scored six runs and held Liberty scoreless.
“Game one was a much cleaner game,” said sixth-year PM head coach Bryan Loy. “In game two, we didn’t execute as well as we would like defensively, but we were able to weather the storm and come out on top.”
In the first game, the Minutemen took a 2-0 lead in the first inning when Mason Welch singled on a line drive to left field to bring in two runs.
The Blues tied the game in the third, with Aaron Pruett hitting a single on a grounder to bring home Maison Hamilton. Jase Barger then scored on a passed ball to make it 2-2.
Liberty took a 3-2 lead in the top of the fourth when Adam Overstreet scored on an error, but the Blues responded with five runs in the bottom of the fourth to capture a 7-3 lead.
After PM loaded the bases in the fourth, Braedyn Houck walked to bring home Brayden Holdren. Tanner Coleman then ran home on a wild pitch to give the Blues a 4-3 lead. Cole Mills then scored on a passed ball, and Houck scored when Barger grounded out to third base. PM’s final run of the inning came with Hamilton scoring when Pruett grounded out to first base.
Warlitner scored the final run of the game by running home on a wild pitch, but a groundout to Barger at first base ended the game.
Five different Blues each recorded one hit: Barger, Pruett, Holdren, Coleman and Peyton Ramsey. Pruett led PM with two RBIs. For the Minutemen, three different players each had one hit.
On the mound for PM, Houck pitched the first 3.2 innings, striking out four and allowing three hits, three walks and three runs (two earned). In the final 1.1 innings, Ramsey allowed no hits, two walks and one earned run. The Minutemen went through three different pitchers.
Liberty committed four errors, while PM had two errors.
In the second game, PM took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Hamilton singled on a line drive to right field to drive in Houck. Liberty tied the game in the bottom of the first when Parker Holdren scored on a passed ball.
The Blues took a 2-1 lead in the second when Hamilton grounded out to bring home Brayden Holdren, but the Minutemen tied the game in the bottom of the second when Austin Byers doubled on a line drive to left field to bring in Warlitner.
In the third, PM scored four runs to go up 6-2. The scoring surge started when Ramsey singled on a line drive to right field to bring home Pruett. Coleman hit an infield grounder to drive in Ramsey, Tyler Wade scored on a groundout, and Houck singled to bring home Coleman.
Liberty then rallied in the bottom of the fourth, scoring on a walk, a single, two errors and a fielder’s choice to take an 8-6 lead. PM cut the lead to 8-7 when Wade singled on a fly ball to third base to bring home Pruett.
The Minutemen added three runs in the fourth, scoring on a walk and a wild pitch to go up 10-7.
With their backs against the wall, the Blues tied the game in the fifth when Barger hit a three-run home on a line drive to left field, bringing home Coleman and Mills.
The Blues prevented Liberty from getting a hit in the bottom of the fifth and then scored six runs in the top of the sixth to put the game away. The surge started with a single on a fly ball to center field by Mills to bring home Ramsey. Wade then scored on a sacrifice fly to right field by Houck. The Blues then loaded the bases, and Coleman scored when Barger was hit by a pitch.
PM scored its final three runs when Pruett doubled on a fly ball to right field to bring home Mills, Hamilton and Barger.
The Blues’ defense stepped up to end the game in the bottom of the sixth, with Houck making a catch in center field and Wade striking out the final two batters.
PM racked up 12 hits against three Liberty pitchers, while the Minutemen had six hits against two PM pitchers. Mills and Wade led the Blues with three hits each, while Ramsey added two hits. Byers and Warlitner paced the Minutemen with two hits each.
On the mound for PM, Barger pitched the first 3.2 innings, striking out seven and allowing five hits, four walks and 10 runs (three earned). In the final 2.1 innings, Wade struck out seven and permitted one hit, no walks and no runs.
PM committed seven errors in the game, while Liberty had two errors.
On the night, the Blues racked up 17 hits, 23 runs and 10 stolen bases.
Reviewing opening day, Loy said, “For the first outing of the season, I thought we did a number of things well, but there is always room for improvement.”
Last year, the Blues went 11-11 overall and 7-3 in the Pioneer District, ending their season just a win away from advancing to the Class 1 state tournament, falling at Auburn 6-5 in the Region 1C semifinals. PM was the runner-up of the Pioneer District tournament, falling 7-6 at Narrows.
From that team, the Blues graduated shortstop Jacob Bartley and center fielder Sawyer Beverley. Bartley was an all-district and allregion first team selection.
The Blues’ lone senior this year is Hamilton, an all-district first team and all-region second team selection last year as a second baseman. Other returning players are juniors Coleman and Pruett and sophomores Barger, Houck and Ramsey. Barger was an all-district first team and all-region second team selection as a catcher last year.
New to the varsity level are junior Evan Cook, sophomores Holdren and Mills, and freshman Wade.
Looking forward to the season, Loy said, “Our goal is really the same as any other year, strive to get a little bit better each day. We focus on attention to detail and doing the little things right. If you do that, success will take care of itself.”
Returning to serve as Loy’s assistant coaches are Adam Gilbert and Elgin Davis.
PM was scheduled to open the season at Rockbridge County on Tuesday of last week, but that game was rescheduled for April 27 at 5 p.m. due to wind and cold temperatures.
The Blues will start Pioneer District action on Thursday when they play host to Craig County, and they’ll travel to Narrows on Tuesday. Both games are scheduled for 5 p.m.
