The Shadow
FISHERSVILLE, Va. (VR) – In a dominant display of offense and pitching, Wilson Memorial breezed past the Alleghany Cougars on Wednesday, securing a 19-0 victory thanks to a blistering 10-run third inning.
The game began with an early advantage for the Hornets, who struck first in the bottom of the first inning. Christian Brewer started the scoring spree with a single that brought in a run, setting the tone for what would be a one-sided affair. The Hornets added another run in the second inning, with Brewer hitting a sacrifice fly to push the score to 4-0.
However, it was the bottom of the third that truly sealed the game. Wilson Memorial exploded for 10 runs on five hits, effectively putting the game out of reach. Jake McWhorter and Brewer contributed key hits to the rally, with McWhorter’s single driving in two runs and Brewer’s single adding another pair. A combination of errors and timely hits, including RBI singles from Nolan Deaver and Addy Flesher, helped the Hornets pile on runs. The inning concluded with Logan Podgorski drawing a walk and Wyatt Wood being hit by a pitch, both driving in runs to cap the remarkable inning.
Not content with their third-inning onslaught, Wilson Memorial kept the pressure on in the fourth, scoring five more runs on two hits. Landon Arritt induced a fielder’s choice from McWhorter, but the Hornets managed to bring in another run. Podgorski’s single, a costly error by the Cougars, and a two-run double by Wood helped extend the lead to an insurmountable 19-0.
Tyler Jackson took the mound first for the Cougars, but struggled against the relentless Hornet lineup. Jackson pitched two and one-third innings, surrendering 10 hits and 11 runs (five earned), while striking out none and walking one. Ryan McDaniel, starting for the Hornets, was in complete control, tossing three scoreless innings and allowing just three hits, while striking out three and walking one.
The Cougars could not generate much offense, with Kai Rowland, Jalen Raether, Rilee Webb, and Trey Cook each collecting one hit. Meanwhile, the Hornets racked up 14 hits in total. Flesher, the number seven hitter in the lineup, was particularly impressive, going 3-for-3 with three hits. Brewer led the Hornets with four RBIs, going 2-for-2 at the plate.
Alleghany’s head coach, Ryan Kessinger, reflected on his team’s performance after the game, acknowledging areas for improvement. “I felt like we were not mentally prepared to play a good team. Our lack of mental focus was evident in the amount of mental errors we had, which ultimately led to more physical errors. Having seven errors against anyone is obviously not good, but when you play a good team, those errors snowball into big innings for the opponent. We are going to get back to focusing on things that can be corrected and learn from the game.”
The Cougars will travel to Carroll County on Friday to take on the Cavaliers
