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Riders rally to defeat Creek

WEIRTON – Weir High used a trick play successfully twice in the bottom of the sixth inning to score two runs and come from a five-run deficit to defeat Indian Creek 9-7 Friday at Ed Bowman Field.

In some ways it was a complete turn around from the 8-0 loss at Toronto just 24 hours earlier.

“We got down again tonight and I was anxious to see what type of group I was going to see come back from five runs down,” said first-year Red Rider coach Jason Angle, whose team now is 4-9. “We had some adversity, but it didn’t bother them. We got clutch hits when we needed them, made some big time defensive plays and the base running was 100 percent better than what I saw yesterday.”

The plays that won it were similar with runners occupying first and third base.

The first time was set up when, with one out, freshman Michael Mills was safe on an error, one of five miscues in the game for the Redskins. He went to second when Cody Knight got an infield single and then took third as Mitch Viakely grounded to the third baseman, who threw to second base to force Knight.

Viakely took an intentional big lead at first base inducing Redskin pitcher, Tanner Wise to throw toward first. The ball sailed over the first baseman’s head and Mills scored easily as Viakely raced all the way to third base.

Will Larch followed with a walk and he promptly took off for second base. Wise stepped off the rubber, but threw the ball away again this time into center field with Viakely scoring.

Veteran Indian Creek coach Mike Cottis wasn’t pleased with the way his team played defense.

“Errors really hurt us today, absolutely,” he said. “They weren’t hard plays. In routine situations, we couldn’t make the plays and it came back to bite us. That’s been the situation all season.”

The Redskins had a couple of errors in the first inning, but starting pitcher Jimmy Bolyog was able to work out of it and no-hit the Red Riders over the first three innings.

Weir High junior Michael Curtis also sailed threw the first three innings holding Indian Creek hitless, but Wise, who started the game in center field, led off the fourth with a walk.

Cole Yeater followed with the first hit of the game and scored on Mason Gibbons’ line single to left center field. Anthony Krager also scored on that hit and on the same play, a Red Rider outfielder threw the ball out of play at third base allowing Adam Freshwater, who had walked, to be awarded home plate. Then Gibbons scored when Dylan Whitaker rapped a single.

The Redskins, who are now 2-13, might have scored more runs in the fourth inning, but Weir High threw out two runners attempting to score.

The Red Riders answered with two runs in the bottom of the fourth. With two outs, Curtis was safe on an error, stole second and scored when Chris Russell lined a single to center field, the first hit off of Bolyog. Freshman Jorden Allen sent Russell home with a single to left center.

Indian Creek second baseman Sean Smith singled to center to lead off the top of the fifth inning. Wise followed with a hit to right. Smith scored when Yeater got his second hit, a line shot to left field. One out later, Krager’s line single down the left field line plated Wise and Yeager arming the Redskins with a 7-2 lead.

Weir High tied it in the bottom of the fifth. With one out, Mills walked followed by a Cody Knight hit. Both scored when Viakely smashed a double off the left field fence. Larch walked and Curtis singled to left scoring Viakely. One out later, Allen sent a Wise pitch to right field scoring Larch and Curtis.

“I’ve been on the other end of that throughout the season and I know what if feels like,” said Angle. “I thought that Bolyog threw a very good ball game. He kept us off balance early, and Curtis also pitched a nice game. He used a lot of changes in speed to keep them off balance, too.”

Bolyog wound up with no decision working four and a third innings giving up seven runs on five hits while striking out three and walking one. Wise, the loser, gave up two unearned runs, yielded just one hit and struck out two and walked two.

Curtis went the distance for the win giving up seven runs on nine hits. He struck out five and walked five.

The Redskins return to action today hosting Buckeye Local in a single game at 11 a.m. while the Red Riders don’t get back on the field until next Monday at Linsly.

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