WAYNESBORO – The Waynesboro varsity baseball team trailed West York 3-2 in the third inning. But, true to form, the Indians victimized the Bulldogs with a 9-run inning and went on to win 14-3 in a game shortened to six innings with the 10-run rule.
It wasn’t a good day to be a pitcher. It was far better for Waynesboro starter Aiden Campbell, who did surrender a bases-loaded, bases-clearing double by leadoff hitter Ian Thompson in the top of the second. But Campbell settled down, locked in and got plenty of help from the defense.
Third baseman Bryan Benedict made a stab of a dying line drive that ended the top of the second inning, and right fielder Logan Clapsaddle made a diving catch in the third inning and grabbed two more fly balls in the game. Shortstop Calvin Myers also caught a liner and gloved an infield pop up.
Stone Taylor hit a two-run double in the home first to give the Tribe the early lead. West York answered in the second inning with three runs and left another runner in scoring position at second base.
Then came the big inning. Waynesboro sent 12 batters to the plate and scored seven runs with two outs.
Ethan Hotchkiss hit for half the cycle as he belted a two-run home run and a run-scoring triple. He scored on Kellan Smith’s ground out, accounting for four runs that inning. Taylor scored on a passed ball and Brett Powell smacked a two-run triple and scored on a base hit by Dylan Morgan.
“They kind of helped us that inning,” said Waynesboro head coach Travis Hardman. “They made a miscue on defense and we kind of took advantage of that, and it kind of snowballed from there. Ethan came up big for us with a triple and a home run.”
Waynesboro hitters were patient, taking a lot of counts deep and then almost knowing they were going to get good pitches to hit and then getting solid cuts. The Indians had five extra-base hits and finished with 12 total hits. Waynesboro also walked eight times.
I was proud of the quality of at bats. They worked the count. Their starter threw 34 pitches in the first inning. I was proud of our defense; we played solid defense. And Aiden Campbell did enough to get by.
Meanwhile, Campbell struck out four batters and the defense did the rest. There were six fly outs, two line outs and five ground outs.
ROSTER
Seniors – Aiden Campbell, Dylan Morgan, Devin Wynkoop
Juniors – Tyler Caron, Logan Clapsaddle, Seth Dodson, Mason Gochenour, Kellan Smith, Stone Taylor
Sophomores – Bryan Benedict, Blake Daywalt, Ethan Hotchkiss, Eric Jacobs, Calvin Myers, Brett Powell
Freshmen – John Kale
Coaches – Travis Hardman (head coach), Joe Wetzel (assistant coach), Jesse Mowen (assistant coach)
SCHEDULE
March – 20, West York (W, 14-3); 22, at New Oxford, 4:15 p.m.; 25, at Cumberland Valley, 11 a.m.; 28, Boiling Springs, 4:15 p.m.; 30, at Big Spring, 4:15 p.m.
April – 3, at Northern, 4 p.m.; 5, Greencastle-Antrim, 4:15 p.m.; 11, at West Perry, 4:30 p.m.; 13, at Shippensburg, 4:15 p.m.; 17, James Buchanan, 4:15 p.m.; 19, at Boiling Springs, 4:30 p.m.; 22, Carlisle, 12 p.m.; 25, Big Spring, 4:15 p.m.; 27, Northern, 4:15 p.m.; 29, at Chambersburg, 12 p.m. May – 1, at Greencastle-Antrim, 4:15 p.m.; 3, West Perry, 4:15 p.m.; 9, Shippensburg, 4:15 p.m.; 11, at James Buchanan, 4:15 p.m.; 12, Spring Grove, 4:15 p.m.
