Morgantown baseball set to battle George Washington in state tournament semifinals
CHARLESTON – For the second consecutive season, the Morgantown High School baseball team earned a spot in the state tournament as the Region I champions and will meet MSAC champion George Washington on Friday night at Go-Mart Ballpark in Charleston in the semifinals of the WVSSAC Class AAAA baseball tournament.
The Mohigans, also winners of a conference title as the OVAC 5A champions, return to the state tournament for a second consecutive year after sweeping Region I postseason play. Morgantown went 4-0 in the playoffs, defeating its rival, University, and Wheeling Park in back-to-back series. The Mohigans (ranked No. 4 in the latest MetroNews Coaches Poll) have won 13 of their last 15 games.
Offensively, WVU signee Weston Mazey leads the team with 33 runs scored. Mason Bowers paces the lineup with a .395 batting average and a team-best 40 hits. Vinnie Aloi leads Morgantown with 31 RBI, while freshman Jackson Bredeson follows closely with 29 RBI and a team-leading eight doubles.
On the mound, Maddox Boggs (9-2, 1.35 ERA) and Vinnie Aloi (7-2, 2.22 ERA) have combined for 16 wins. Judd Messerly, a Potomac State signee, has posted a 1.34 ERA in 10 appearances and has three saves.
'Last year, there was a huge sense of excitement with it being the first time in a while that our program has been there,' MHS head coach Pat Sherald said. 'This year, there's the same excitement, but there's also a lot of purpose as far as taking care of business. We got a taste of it last year. We are going to go out and play as hard as we can and play our brand of baseball.'
George Washington returns to Charleston following a runner-up finish in 2024 and enters the tournament as the Region III champions. The Patriots posted a 4-0 mark in the postseason with wins over South Charleston and St. Albans. WVU commit Slade Barton tossed a no-hitter in the 4-0 regional title victory over the Red Dragons.
After a 3-4 start to the season, GW found its rhythm, winning 12 of its next 13 games. The Patriots are 4-2 this season against fellow state tournament qualifiers, including two victories over top-seeded Hurricane. In the Mountain State Athletic Conference title game, Chuck Kelly delivered an inside-the-park, walk-off home run in the seventh inning to secure a second win over the Redskins.
'George Washington has four very talented pitchers, but that's what you expect this time of year,' Sherald said. 'We know we will see the best from everyone, but it's all about what we can control and what we do out there. We must follow our game plan and maintain a no-nonsense approach. We will seek opportunities to capitalize on and position ourselves for success. We just plan to go out and play quality Mohigan baseball.'
First pitch is scheduled to be thrown 50 minutes after the conclusion of the first Class AAAA semifinal between Hurricane and Hedgesville, which is set for 5:00 p.m.
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