Record breaker: Carraher fans 14, Wildcats win sectional title
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
MOWRYSTOWN — Whiteoak junior pitcher Gage Carraher not only helped lead the Wildcats' 8-1 Division IV SE District Sectional final win, but he did it by making the Manchester Greyhounds swing and miss … a lot, striking out 14 batters, setting the single season WHS strikeout record, en route to the Wildcats' 12th sectional championship.
The win gives the No. 3 seeded Wildcats a sectional title four of the past five seasons, as they will now travel to the district tournament this Sunday, as they will face No. 2 seeded Green in the district semifinal matchup at 6 p.m. at VA Memorial Stadium in Chillicothe.
"The guys were focused (Wednesday)," WHS head coach Chris Veidt said. "Gage set the tone in the top of the first inning, and from there, we were off."
As for Carraher breaking the record, it was set in 2009 by Ben Harmon with 87 strikeouts that season. Carraher now has 97 strikeouts this season in eight starts and two relief appearances. The junior ace is now first, third and fourth on the all-time single season strikeout lists for WHS as he had 78 K's in '10 and 77 K's in '11 for a career total thus far of 252 career strikeouts.
Carraher is now tied for second on the WHS all-time list for wins in a season, as he's 7-1 overall this year, tying Harmon, who had seven wins in '09.
This season, Carraher has 10-plus strikeouts in all eight of his starts, as he finished Wednesday's game with seven innings pitched, allowing one unearned run on three hits (he was perfect through four) with no walks on 86 pitches. Of the 24 batters he faced, all but two outs came in the infield. He struck out the side in the first and third innings, including a nine-pitch first inning.
"Gage has been consistent all year," Veidt said. "He was sharp and focused, and he's been a part of big games since his freshman year."
[[In-content Ad]]The offense of the Wildcats started early with some small ball with Michael Smith reaching first on a bunt base hit towards third base. He stole second and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Zach Docter, who finished 2-for-2 with a hit-by-pitch and sacrifice fly. The run was scored on a sacrifice fly by Carraher on a 1-2 pitch he sent to centerfield for the 1-0 lead.
WHS added three runs in the third with Docter, Carraher and Bradds (2-for-4) scoring runs. Docter scored on a sacrifice fly by Luke Taggert, as Docter led off the inning with a base hit to left field. Taggert walked twice and had one sacrifice in the game.
Carraher and Bradds scored on a one-out, two-RBI single by Tyler Williams to put the Wildcats up 4-0. Williams finished 1-for-2 and a sacrifice fly.
Manchester scored their run in the fifth with Travis Combs scoring on an infield error with one out. WHS was quick to answer as Taggert scored a run in the bottom half of the inning when he was batted in by Doc Seip on a sacrifice fly.
The game was sealed the bottom of the sixth with a three-run home run over 300-feet sailing over the left field fence by Bradds, scoring not only himself, but Nick Wardlow (1-for-2, one walk) and Carraher.
"Our situational hitting was great," Veidt said. "We hit sacrifice fly balls, bunted well and Jesse's home run was a no-doubter … and those runs at the end were big for us.
"We did make a couple mistakes late, and we can't afford to make those type of mistakes in the tournament, but tonight we overcame them, and in the seventh we turned a double play for the first two outs."
The loss was charged to Dylan Ricketts (2-7), who pitched six innings for Manchester. He allowed eight runs (four earned) on eight hits and three walks. He struck out five.
Now the Wildcats have to wait until Sunday to play in the district tournament as they will play in Chillicothe at VA Memorial Stadium at 6 p.m.
"We've played at the VA before, so we know the atmosphere there," Veidt said. "The guys know what to expect, and this time of year it's not who you play, but how you play. The tournament is crazy this time of year because every game is a one-game series now … it's very challenging."
BOX SOCRE
MHS 000 010 0 — 1 3 4
WHS 103 013 x — 8 8 3
The win gives the No. 3 seeded Wildcats a sectional title four of the past five seasons, as they will now travel to the district tournament this Sunday, as they will face No. 2 seeded Green in the district semifinal matchup at 6 p.m. at VA Memorial Stadium in Chillicothe.
"The guys were focused (Wednesday)," WHS head coach Chris Veidt said. "Gage set the tone in the top of the first inning, and from there, we were off."
As for Carraher breaking the record, it was set in 2009 by Ben Harmon with 87 strikeouts that season. Carraher now has 97 strikeouts this season in eight starts and two relief appearances. The junior ace is now first, third and fourth on the all-time single season strikeout lists for WHS as he had 78 K's in '10 and 77 K's in '11 for a career total thus far of 252 career strikeouts.
Carraher is now tied for second on the WHS all-time list for wins in a season, as he's 7-1 overall this year, tying Harmon, who had seven wins in '09.
This season, Carraher has 10-plus strikeouts in all eight of his starts, as he finished Wednesday's game with seven innings pitched, allowing one unearned run on three hits (he was perfect through four) with no walks on 86 pitches. Of the 24 batters he faced, all but two outs came in the infield. He struck out the side in the first and third innings, including a nine-pitch first inning.
"Gage has been consistent all year," Veidt said. "He was sharp and focused, and he's been a part of big games since his freshman year."
[[In-content Ad]]The offense of the Wildcats started early with some small ball with Michael Smith reaching first on a bunt base hit towards third base. He stole second and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Zach Docter, who finished 2-for-2 with a hit-by-pitch and sacrifice fly. The run was scored on a sacrifice fly by Carraher on a 1-2 pitch he sent to centerfield for the 1-0 lead.
WHS added three runs in the third with Docter, Carraher and Bradds (2-for-4) scoring runs. Docter scored on a sacrifice fly by Luke Taggert, as Docter led off the inning with a base hit to left field. Taggert walked twice and had one sacrifice in the game.
Carraher and Bradds scored on a one-out, two-RBI single by Tyler Williams to put the Wildcats up 4-0. Williams finished 1-for-2 and a sacrifice fly.
Manchester scored their run in the fifth with Travis Combs scoring on an infield error with one out. WHS was quick to answer as Taggert scored a run in the bottom half of the inning when he was batted in by Doc Seip on a sacrifice fly.
The game was sealed the bottom of the sixth with a three-run home run over 300-feet sailing over the left field fence by Bradds, scoring not only himself, but Nick Wardlow (1-for-2, one walk) and Carraher.
"Our situational hitting was great," Veidt said. "We hit sacrifice fly balls, bunted well and Jesse's home run was a no-doubter … and those runs at the end were big for us.
"We did make a couple mistakes late, and we can't afford to make those type of mistakes in the tournament, but tonight we overcame them, and in the seventh we turned a double play for the first two outs."
The loss was charged to Dylan Ricketts (2-7), who pitched six innings for Manchester. He allowed eight runs (four earned) on eight hits and three walks. He struck out five.
Now the Wildcats have to wait until Sunday to play in the district tournament as they will play in Chillicothe at VA Memorial Stadium at 6 p.m.
"We've played at the VA before, so we know the atmosphere there," Veidt said. "The guys know what to expect, and this time of year it's not who you play, but how you play. The tournament is crazy this time of year because every game is a one-game series now … it's very challenging."
BOX SOCRE
MHS 000 010 0 — 1 3 4
WHS 103 013 x — 8 8 3