PHOTO | Boothe Davis: Captured by the Moment Photography
Bill Lusk | WVOW Sports
MAN Aaron Henry broke a scoreless tie with a two-run home run in the fourth inning and held Man to three hits as Wahama defeated Man, 5-1, to capture the Class A Region 4 championship Tuesday evening at William Tootie Carter Field.
With the win, Wahama advances to the Class A state tournament at Appalachian Power Park for the first time since 2016.
The third-ranked White Falcons added three runs in the fifth inning to surge out to a 5-0 lead. Henry was hit with the bases loaded to drive in his third run of the evening and Trey Ohlinger and Hayden Lloyd added
run-scoring singles.
Fourth-ranked Man got on the board in the bottom of the fifth when Caleb Vance scored on a fielding error to trim the deficit to 5-1.
Henry struck out seven and walked five in 6 2/3 innings while Bryce Zuspan struck out the only hitter, he faced in the seventh sending Wahama to the state tournament.
Man threatened in the first inning, loading the bases with one out, but Henry got Caleb Blevins to ground into an inning ending double play.
Preston Blankenship took the loss for Man. Blankenship allowed three runs on three hits in four innings and struck out four while walking two and hitting one. Braxton Messer tossed three innings of relief allowing two runs on two hits with six strikeouts, two walks and one hit batter.
Adkins and Messer each had a double for Man while Brady Hall-Montgomery had one hit and Blankenship an RBI. Vance walked three times and scored a run for the Hillbillies.
Henry had a two-run home run and drove in three for the victorious White Falcons, who also got one hit and one RBI each from Lloyd and Ohlinger.
Nathan Fields had two hits for Wahama, who improved to 25-5 with the win and will await to see who their opponent is in next week’s state tournament.
Class A No. 10 Moorefield, who has won the last three Class A state championships, advanced with an 8-7 win over Norte Dame to capture the Region 2 championship.
Madonna and top-ranked Williamstown meet in a decisive third game Wednesday evening at Williamstown to determine the Region 1 champion.
Charleston Catholic can wrap up the Region 3 championship with a win over Greater Beckley Christian Wednesday while a Crusaders victory would force a decisive third game Thursday evening in Charleston.
Man, who Moorefield defeated for its third consecutive championship, finished the year with a record of 20-11.