HS Baseball: Woodrow Wilson explodes early to defeat Wyoming East

Friday night, Class AA No. 6 Wyoming East came to Beckley looking to pick up a signature win over Class AAAA Woodrow Wilson.

The Flying Eagles, however, flexed their muscle from the first pitch to fly past the Warriors 14-6 at Thomas F. Parham Field.

"All the credit goes to these boys tonight, they played great," Woodrow Wilson head coach Alex Williams said. "The kids are hitting the ball right now, which is what you want to see. Brady (Williams) pitched great and Drew (Gallaher) came in behind him. Will (Farrish) came in and shut it down. Our defense was great too. Just a great game up and down offensively."

After Brady Williams set the visitors down in order - two by strikeout - Woodrow Wilson went to work immediately in its half of the first inning.

Maddex Sims and Tyler Wilhite singled ahead of Drew Gallaher who reached on a sacrifice bunt attempt.

Brady Williams dropped the third consecutive bunt by the Flying Eagles scoring Sims for the first run of the ball game.

"We didn't make many plays early in the game. That put us in a hole and they started hitting the ball. They bunted three straight times and we got nobody out. (Starting pitcher) Jaeden (Lester) settled down a little bit. He was a little shook," Wyoming East head coach Kevin Hedinger said. "The kids battled. Anytime you go down 9-0, you are normally going to get 10-run ruled. That was something positive we can take away."

The Flying Eagles bats were definitely electric the remainder of the inning.

Gage Price started the run with a 2-run single before a walk and a fielder's choice from Austin Long increased the lead to 4-0.

A single from Will Farrish loaded the bases for Sims, two batters later who ripped a two-out double to the fence down the left-field line.

Sims' two-run double proceeded RBI single from Wilhite and Gallaher for a 9-0 lead.

"The past few games we have been hitting the ball top to bottom and that is what it is going to take," Williams said.

Jarred Phillips put Wyoming East on the board with a single that scored two runs, but the damage from the home team was far from over.

Three Wyoming East errors aided the Flying Eagles two innings later as they scored three more runs for a 12-2 lead.

A pair of walks, a wild pitch and two more errors from the visitors helped increase the Woodrow advantage to 14-2.

Facing the 10-run rule as they entered the fifth inning, Wyoming East answered with four runs to stay alive.

"They are a good ball club and we need to see good pitching. We put the ball in play and we had a couple of doubles. I don't feel like any of our kids gave up on an at-bat," Hedinger said. "That last at-bat, Jaeden could have given up on that. He fouled a couple of pitches off and then hit a double. Positives. They kept fighting."

Sims also hit a career milestone Friday night. His three hit display gave him 100 hits for his high school career.

"I am proud of Maddex for hitting that milestone," Williams said. "That kid is just a phenomenal hitter, always has been. Super proud of the team."