OVU Tops Nationally-Ranked WVSU in Double Header

By MATT LOCKE  |  The Parkersbuirg News & Sentinel

PARKERSBURG — For the first time in Ohio Valley University regular season history, the Fighting Scots defeated the nationally-ranked West Virginia State University Yellow Jackets 8-5 by establishing an early lead and scoring key runs down the stretch.

Brad Linch remembers the last time the Fighting Scots claimed victory against the Yellow Jackets in last year’s West Virginia Conference championship game. He came on for relief and gave up only two runs in five innings pitched as a freshman.

Friday at Bennett Stump Field, Linch and the Fighting Scots proved that last year’s 10-inning championship game was no fluke.

“I thought we played really well, we competed,” OVU coach Chad Porter said. “You know when you play the game right — fundamentally sound, good things happen.”

OVU survived a seventh-inning rally and retired three batters who stepped in with an opportunity to tie. Brad Linch pitched six innings and Zach Fairbanks came in for the save.

In the second game, the ’Jackets got out to an early lead, but the Scots went ahead in the fourth by plating three runs. WVSU picked up three more runs over the next four innings and won 6-4 to split the doubleheader. “We came from behind early — Luke Nolan battled and kept us in the ball game,” Porter said.

“We battled back and took the lead. They hit and we got runners on, but we just didn’t pick them up.” A good start was the key to success for the Scots as D..J. Shreckengost started with a single to right field. Wharton reached on an error by third baseman Tyler Courts, and Lore batted in Shreckengost with a single to center field. With two outs, Jesse Young reached on an error by ’Jackets’ second baseman Jeff Miller and the Scots left the inning with a 2-1 lead.

The Yellow Jackets tied the score in the bottom of the fourth inning with a sacrifice fly by Chase Day, but the Scots came back to even the score at 2. With one out and two runners in scoring position, Zach Carte stepped up to the plate and hammered a sacrifice fly to right field scoring Young to put OVU ahead 3-2. After two deep fly balls, Brad Linch closed out the fifth inning with a strikeout and gave the Scots another opportunity to drive in runs.

With two outs and one on, Matt Wharton knocked a double down the first-base line to score Sam Schmitt. Lore drove in two runs on his shot to center field and the Scots had a six-run lead going into the final inning. WVSU wasn’t quite ready to lay down its bats. With one on, Eric Workman blasted a shot over the center field fence and brought the ’Jackets within four.

With two on, designated hitter Ryan Holstine hit a shot over the head of center-fielder Schmitt to score one more run. Zach Fairbanks was looking at no outs, with the tying run at the plate. Fairbanks retired Workman by fielding an infield fly. The next batter was retired on a ground out to Wharton at third base. Fairbanks halted the runners by retiring the last batter on an infield fly.

“Brad Linch threw a really good game and we played good defense,” Porter said. “We hit the ball well and Zach Fairbanks came in and shut the door.”