PHILIPPI - Philip Barbour pitcher Andy Green outdueled Liberty's Josh Davis here Thursday, leading the Colts to a 2-1 victory in a rain-soaked contest that was shortened to six innings.
Green allowed only a first inning single to Liberty's Chase Alonso in going the distance for Philip Barbour, 11-12. He whiffed 11 Mountaineers, but did walk seven. Davis, who absorbed the tough luck loss for Liberty, 6-14, yielded only two hits and two walks, while striking out five in a complete game performance.
"We put together a good game," Philip Barbour coach Stan Fitzwater said. "Our defense made the plays. I give Josh (Davis) all the credit in the world. He threw a great game in these conditions."
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The Inter-Mountain photo by John Wickline
Philip Barbour’s Andy Green sends a pitch toward the plate during Thursday’s game against Big 10 Conference rival Liberty. Green allowed only a first inning single and struck out 11 in a 2-1 victory.
The Colts scored what proved to be the deciding run in the fifth inning. Dre Johnson reached on a fielder's choice and then stole second base. Green came up later with two outs and two runners on base, and his ground ball should have been the final out of the inning. But it was bobbled in the infield, and Johnson raced home to score.
"Andy had a tremendous at-bat," Fitzwater said. "He was down 0-2, and he fouled off four pitches and then he hit the ball hard to the shortstop. It ended up being the winning run."
Green pitched his way out of trouble in each of the last three innings, stranding a runner on third in the fourth, striking out the side with the bases loaded in the fifth and getting a strike-out with two runners on to end the sixth.
Liberty had taken a 1-0 lead in the first when Alonso's single skipped past the outfielders and allowed Ty Noss to score from first. The Colts tied the game in their half of the first when Green singled and eventually came home on Zach Howdershelt's ground-out.
Seth Fitzwater had the only other hit for the Colts, a single in the fifth inning.
Philip Barbour returns to action at 1 p.m. Saturday, hosting East Fairmont.
East Hardy 13, Union 1
MOUNT?STORM?- Korey Foltz and Brady Hinkle had three hits each to lead East Hardy past Union 13-1 Thursday in Potomac Valley Conference action.
Justin?Basye and Noah Orndorff had two hits each for the Cougars (19-4).
Basye notched the win in five innings of work. He gave up one run on one hit, walked two and struck out 10.
East Hardy hosts Paw Paw at 7 p.m. today for another Potomac Valley Conference matchup.
