The benefit of playing in the LHAC for the Bellwood-Antis baseball team has been increased competition and games against bigger schools, which theoretically should translate into higher seedings in the playoffs.
However, that wasn’t how things had gone over the Devils’ first couple seasons in the conference, and while struggling to collect wins B-A has watched its old rivals from the ICC face small schools and garner wins. Those schools have then entered the 2A playoffs while B-A has been locked out.
But the Devils began to rewrite that narrative yesterday in a big 9-5 victory over Central in Martinsburg.
The Devils are a 2A school and the Dragons are a 5A school.
“I think it proved we can compete and win against any team in the LHAC,” said junior Brady McConnell, who was huge for the Devils yesterday having two hits and 3 RBIs. McConnell has been a vital part to the Devils this season batting a respectable .327 with 10 RBIs.
Also, with the win Bellwood jumped from the 9 ranked team in 2A to the 6 team, and if they playoffs were to start today, Bellwood would be in the playoffs.
“Any win is big when you’re fighting for a playoff spot,” said junior Jackson Dorminy, “but what made this one special was it was our first time beating them since 2019.”
The two biggest keys to success yesterday were pitching and hitting. B-A’s lineup generated 13 hits, while senior Eli Moser collected the win, throwing 5 innings, striking out four and walking five.
“Everyone buckled down and got their bats out today and our pitchers were hitting the zone exactly as we needed,” said Dorminy, who went 2-for-4 and scored two runs from the lead-off spot.
McConnell drove in his runs early to lift the Devils to a 4-2 lead, but Central battled back to go up 5-4. But Chase Plummer’s double in the top of the fourth sparked a three-run inning that gave B-A the lead for good.
Blue Devil hitters produced five doubles, none bigger than the two-run double catcher Cam Swogger belted in the top of the seventh to provide a cushion for B-A reliever Curtis Shedlock.
All together, the top four batters in B-A’s lineup – Dorminy, McConnell, Swogger, and Chase Plummer – went 8 for 18 and drove in 7 runs. Meanwhile, the bottom two – Bradyn Partner and Caleb Plummer – went 5 for 7 with 5 runs scored.
“I think everyone, 1 through 9, knows their roles and is doing them to the best of their abilities,” McConnell said.
The Blue Devils improved to 7-8 and avenged a 10-2 loss to the Dragons earlier this month in Bellwood. They now face Greater Johnstown today in a game that would further solidify their playoff spot.
“It was a big win for the playoffs and to finish the season off strong,” said assistant coach Nevin Wood.
