Photo by Jay W. Bennett Williamstown’s Maxwell Molessa follows a swing during a baseball game this spring. Second year Molesaa was named first All-Little Kanawha Conference team for the second consecutive year.
PARKERSBURG – It has been a season to remember for coach Rob Jones’ Tyler Consolidated baseball team.
Not only have the Silver Knights amassed a school record of 23 wins, but Manager Jones also saw his team secure the first Little Kanawha Conference championship in TCHS history.
Leading that charge was junior southpaw Ty Walton, who was honored by league coaches as LKC Player of the Year.
“Ty has worked very hard to get to where he is. He is the first LKC player of the year in the history of the school and this was also the first title in a team conference in the history of the school. “ said Jones, who was named LKC Coach of the Year.
“Ty is the kind of player who shows up first of all at the start of Saturday’s training and does all of his routine with his wraps, weighted balls, stretching and getting his arm and body ready to go. His leadership on the Knights baseball program was the key to our success. “
Walton was the only pitcher to rule out Williamstown, who came during the Silver Knights’ 2-0 triumph in the LKC title match at Sue Morris Sports Complex in Glenville.
In the season, Walton went 8-2 with an average of 1.04 earned and 107 strikeouts in 53 2-3 innings of work. He only allowed 16 shots. Along with an average of .364 batting, Walton also had eight doubles, two triples, 22 run points and nine steals.
Walton was one of five repeated selections on the all LKC top unit. Wahama senior Ethyn Barnitz repeated the catch after hitting .391 with seven doubles, one triple, seven home runs and 30 RBI. He also drew 28 free passes and finished with a .629 based rate.
The other trio of returning all-LKC players were insiders: Jayden Helmick junior of Tyler Consolidated, Maxwell Molessa of second year of Williamstown and Tyler Baldwin, senior of Braxton County, who averaged .512, six doubles, two triples. , three steals and 17 RBI. Helmick hit .424 with four doubles, four triples, two home runs, 15 run points and 30 steals. Molessa, who helped bring the Yellowjackets back to the state-owned Class A tournament, scored .418 with 12 doubles, nine three-baggers, one round-tripper and 17 RBI while he made 27 of 27 attempts to steal.
Joining Walton’s first team pitcher were Wahama’s sophomore Bryce Zuspan and Williamstown’s young Brayden Coleman. Zuspan was also a key cog in Wahama’s run at the A-class state championship game. He went 11-1 with an ERA of 1.80 and scored 80 in 62 1-3 innings. Coleman was 7-1 with an ERA of 2.66 and dealt 57 in 47 1-3 innings.
Garrett Cunningham, a Ritchie County senior, joined Barnitz as the other first team receiver. The Rebel knocked in 38 hitting .403 with a dozen doubles, a triple and two bombs.
Also making the first team on the field were a couple of youngsters: Quentin Owens of Ritchie County and Caden Hall of Gilmer County. The rebel stole 14 bases, scored 29 and hit .477 with a dozen two-baggers and four long balls. Hall averaged .507, eight doubles, three triples, six homers, 27 RBI and 36 steals.
The four LKC first team outfield selections went to juniors Logan Roach (.409 AVG, 9-6-0, 22 RBI) of Wahama and Williamstown’s Harbor Haught (.443 AVG, 4-0-0, 27 RBI, 29 SB) along with Elders Josh Walton of Roane County and Beau Liston of Braxton County (.358 AVG, 7-0-0, 22 RBI, 12 SB).
Evan Swain of Ravenswood, the only freshman on the first team, has been selected for utility. The Red Devil had a 5-0 pitching record with one save and 51 strikeouts in 27 innings. He hit .297 with six doubles and 20 beaten points.
Five teams had a couple of selections each in the second-team all LKC and this included Ravenswood, who landed Anthony Anglin on the catcher and Beau Bennett on the inside. South Harrison had pitcher Josh Thomaschek and intern Dylan Richards. The St. Marys was represented by receiver Josiah DeMoss and sideman Shane Moran. Williamstown selected the second team with Carson Hill on the outfield and Ty Ott on the inside. Doddridge County’s Aiden Eddy was the team’s second utility service and Bulldog teammate Colt Sutton was awarded inside.
Also making the second unit were pitchers Bryant Yoak of Calhoun County and Andrew Adkins of Clay County, Wahama intern Aaron Henry and three other Gilmer County Colton Hall exteriors, Tyler Consolidated’s Hayden Brown, and Brayden Helmick of Braxton County.
Contact Jay Bennett at [email protected]