The Hurricane All-Stars celebrate as they capture the 10-12-year-old West Virginia Little League baseball state championship by run-ruling Barboursville 13-2 in four innings on Wednesday, July 24, 2024, at Tracy Vickers Field in Chapmanville.
Trace Adkins (30) of the Barboursville 10-12-year-old All-Star baseball team throws a pitch during their 13-2 loss to Hurricane in the West Virginia Little League state championship game on Wednesday, July 24, 2024, at Tracy Vickers Field in Chapmanville.
The Hurricane All-Stars celebrate as they capture the 10-12-year-old West Virginia Little League baseball state championship by run-ruling Barboursville 13-2 in four innings on Wednesday, July 24, 2024, at Tracy Vickers Field in Chapmanville.
Trace Adkins (30) of the Barboursville 10-12-year-old All-Star baseball team throws a pitch during their 13-2 loss to Hurricane in the West Virginia Little League state championship game on Wednesday, July 24, 2024, at Tracy Vickers Field in Chapmanville.
CHAPMANVILLE — The Hurricane 10-12-year-old Little League All-Star baseball team gets to bask in the glory of a West Virginia state title as it run-ruled Barboursville 13-2 in four innings in the final on Wednesday.
“I couldn’t be more daggone proud of my kids,†Hurricane coach Corey Davis said. “Like I said, when we started out this thing, it was state championship or bust, and these guys just held on through. I tell you what, give all the credit to these other teams. The attitude and the teamwork my kids showed was just ridiculously good. I can’t ask for anything more.â€
Hurricane put the game on ice right away as it rattled off six runs in the first inning, three in the second and four in the third.
A grand slam by Hurricane’s Jude Virag for a 4-0 edge in the bottom of the first frame set the tone for the rest of the contest.
Barboursville’s only runs came in the top of the fourth via a run-scoring base knock by Grant Dailey and a bases-loaded walk to Tatum Johnson.
“Barboursville is a good ball club. They were down on pitching,†Davis said. “Give all the credit to the kids on that young team. They stuck it through, but we came out and our bats finally got hot.â€
Virag (grand slam, five RBIs), Jaxon Stephens (two RBIs) and Ethan Humbertson each notched two hits for Hurricane. Bryce Benson (one double), Tucker Davis and Anderson Brookes all had a hit with an RBI.
Davis tossed a complete game on the mound and got the win, allowing just two hits and two walks while striking out eight batters.
“We started out this thing in coach-pitch a few years ago, and we didn’t even make it out of the district,†Corey Davis said. “I think we won one game in the district, and where we’re at now is 12-year-olds and state champions. I give all the credit to the boys. The hard work from that age to now, they stuck with it, they wanted to get better, and now we’re here.â€
Hurricane punched its ticket to the Southeast Regional Tournament in Warner Robins, Georgia, which begins on Aug. 1.
That’s what Davis and his team are focused on now.
“We’re going to reset, we’re going to have a few practices between now and then, and get down there and show what West Virginia’s got,†Davis said.
Dailey (one RBI) and Abel Burgess had Barboursville’s two hits on the day. Johnson gained an RBI thanks to the walk with the bases juiced.
Trace Adkins (one-third of an inning, two hits, six runs, four earned, two walks) took the loss on the hill for Barboursville.
Maddox Early pitched two innings and surrendered eight hits, seven earned runs and one walk while fanning one batter, and Jackson Carter (two-thirds of an inning, one hit, no ER, one walk) saw time on the bump as well.
“I’m just proud of these kids. They’re fighters,†Barboursville manager Eric Fetty said. “I told them that ... the life lessons they learn on the field and that they took throughout the district and the state tournament will help them throughout their life, and that’s what I’m most proud of. These kids never gave up, they never gave in and they kept fighting until the very end.â€
Fetty said this is the most fun the kids are ever going to have in baseball, from now to when they turn 13, and then the rest of the way up through high school.
“You ask any kid that played Little League, they’ll tell you that the most fun they ever had was playing Little League baseball,†Fetty said. “I’m happy that we made the run that we made, and I’m glad they got to enjoy it and get to the state tournament. Hate that it ended the way it did, but I’m proud of them all the same.â€
BARBOURSVILLE 000 2 — 2 2 1
HURRICANE 634 — 13 11 1
Adkins, Early (1), Carter (3) and Dailey; Davis and Stephens.
Hitting leaders: BV — Dailey 1-2, RBI; Burgess 1-1, R; Johnson 0-1, RBI, BB; Christian 0-2, R; HC — Virag 2-2, HR, 5 RBI, R; Stephens 2-2, 2 RBI, R; Humbertson 2-2, 2 R; Benson 1-2, 2B, RBI, 2 R.
HD Media reporter Cameron Maynard primarily covers sports in Logan County.
