The Hurricane baseball team is in the midst of an offensive surge following a 7-6 loss to Parkersburg South on Saturday.
The Redskins exploded for 15 runs to defeat visiting Capital 15-1 in five innings Tuesday night, one night after beating Lincoln County 24-0. That's 39 runs in the past two games. Hurricane scored 44 runs in its previous eight games before facing Lincoln.
Click here for my article in The Charleston Daily Mail on Tuesday's Hurricane-Capital game.
On Tuesday, Hurricane (15-3) scored in each of its four at-bats, with a single run in the first inning, two in the second, one in third and 11 in the fourth en route to its victory against Capital (6-12).
"I thought, tonight, it’s always nice when you look up at the scoreboard and score by inning there’s no zeros," Redskins coach Brian Sutphin said. "I thought their pitcher (Seth Roadcap), he’s got a nice arm and threw the ball well. We just looked like we were focused and ready to play.”
Alexander Dunham led the Redskins with three RBI against Capital. Dunham scored one on an RBI groundout in the first inning after lead-off hitter Trey Dawson began the inning with a triple. During Hurricane's 11-run fourth inning, Dunham plated the sixth and seventh runs on a two-run single.
While Dunham paced the team in RBI, J.T. Rogoszewski led in hits with his 3-for-3 performance, including two doubles. Rogoszewski also scored three runs, stole two bases and had one RBI.
Though Hurricane celebrated a hit party, the Redskins' lone multi-hit performances came from Rogoszewski and pitcher Riley Metz, who finished 2-for-2. Metz hit two doubles and reached via a walk in his three plate appearances. He scored twice and had two RBI.
On the mound, Metz tossed a complete five-inning game. He allowed one run on two hits, struck out four and did not walk a batter.
“Everything was working," Metz said of his pitches. "The catcher was spotting up back there. I wasn’t on with all my stuff, but coach (Billy) Biggs helps me all the time. We got down here in the pen, maybe the second or third inning and he said ‘Do this,’ and I got back into it.”
Metz said each of his pitches was finding the right spots Tuesday. His repertoire includes: fastball, curveball, change-up (to lefties only) and his newest pitch, the knuckleball.
“Actually, we just started throwing it (Monday). It was pretty good, so we put it in tonight," Metz said.
While Metz didn't need the full extent of run support his team provided, he certainly welcomed the offensive production.
After scoring a single run in the first, Hurricane added two more in its second at-bat. Tyson Edwards and Rogoszewski started the second inning with back-to-back singles. Zach Pate plated a run via an RBI groundout. Later in the inning, the Redskins employed a double steal that scored Rogoszewski to give Hurricane a 3-0 lead.
Capital scored its lone run in the top of the third inning on an RBI double by Cougars catcher Austin Hupp, the lone blemish on Metz's pitching performance.
Things unraveled for Capital in the fourth inning when Hurricane sent 14 batters to the plate as part of an 11-run inning. After forcing starter Roadcap from the mound, the Redskins continued to shell relievers Justin Palmer and Jarod Gandy.
To recap the impressive fourth inning:
Rogoszewski doubled to left field to begin the inning and later advanced to third on a stolen base. Pate and Sam Basler followed with back-to-back walks to load the bases. Dawson was hit by a pitch to force a run home. Palmer entered to face Dunham, but Dunham welcomed Palmer with a two-run single to left field. Metz followed with a two-run double, as Hurricane led 9-1. Next, Ace Estep hit an infield single followed by a walk by Austin Hensley to once again load the bases. Following the walk to Hensley, Gandy entered to pitch to Tate Brock, hitting for Edwards. Brock ripped a two-run single. Rogoszewski followed with his second hit of the inning, an RBI double to center field. Then, pinch-hitter Max Maxson, hitting for Pate, scored Brock on an RBI double. With Basler hitting, Rogoszewski scored on a wild pitch. Basler later plated the final run on an RBI groundout.
After the offensive onslaught, Metz toed the mound in the top of the fifth and retired Capital in 1-2-3 fashion to end the game.
While the Redskins hammered the ball, the Cougars pitchers did themselves no favors walking five batters and hitting one, Capital coach Robert Massey said.
“Walks killed us," he said. "Didn’t really have too many chances to make errors when they’re bashing the ball gap to gap, but like I said, (they're) good kids, they just weren’t ready to play tonight.”
Capital will look to rebound when the Cougars play South Charleston, 7 p.m. today. Hurricane next plays at Cabell Midland 7 p.m. today.
Below are some extra quotes I collected from my interviews with Sutphin, Metz and Brock that did not make the paper, but I wanted to create a space to share their thoughts.
Brian Sutphin, Hurricane baseball coach
-on Metz's pitching performance Tuesday
“I thought he was in command. They scored in the third. Shoot, I just thought the kid laid a good swing on it, went with it the other way and hit the ball down the line. I thought he came out, and we as a team, we’re trying to continue to get better every day and Riley has definitely improved every day out.”
-on the team's search for leaders
“We are looking for guys, we’re no different than anybody else – we need leadership. You need leadership in order to be successful in any sport. Baseball is one of those sports where it’s a game played individually, but at the end of the day, it’s the best team wins.”
-on what Metz has meant to the program
“He’s been a four-year varsity player. He played when he was in 10th grade, on that 2011 team that was pretty good, who had good leadership, good players, a lot of players playing in college now and doing good things. I think anytime you play around good players it helps you.”
-on the key to Metz's success
“I think the biggest thing for him is just being himself, not trying to do too much, and kind of letting the game come to him.”
Riley Metz, Hurricane senior pitcher/first baseman
-on his late signing with Lenoir-Rhyne University, scheduled for 11:45 a.m. Thursday at Hurricane's new gym
“I would rather have done it earlier, but we missed the early sign-on date. It just relieves a lot of pressure, because we’re just trying to come out here and have a little fun.”
-thoughts on being a target as one of the area's top teams
“We, as a team, put together a little mindset that we’re going to do what we do best and that’s play baseball. Everybody’s going to throw their best stuff at us because we’re a pretty good team.”
Tate Brock, Hurricane sophomore catcher
-on playing a big role in the Redskins lineup as a freshman last season
"I didn't really have any big pressure on me. I just came out and just did what I do best, and that's play baseball. You just have to stay focuses, stay relaxed. (I) had quality at-bats, had quality innings behind the plate. I just think of it as another game."
-on what it means to be the team's clean-up hitter as a sophomore
"It gives me a lot of confidence that my teammates have that confidence in me, my coaches have confidence in me to produce at the plate. It's definitely a confidence booster."
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