Published: April 16, 2008 03:16 pm            

Comets score historic win over Bath Co.

The West Carter Comet baseball team completed its recent trip to Myrtle Beach winning one varsity game and dropping two versus Breckinridge County. The local junior varsity squad won both its games.

In the first varsity game, the Comets lost 12-2. Stevens, Vanlandingham, Logan and Lee each had two hits for West. David Valdepena was the losing pitcher and Comet hurlers allowed nine walks and nine hits.

In the second matchup, Breckinridge County defeated the guys from Olive Hill, 14-4. Corey Oney was tagged for the loss from the mound, throwing only the second inning. In the loss, Oney had one hit while Stephen Carroll cracked two hits and drove in all four runs for the Comets. West pitchers gave up 11 walks and four hits in the loss.

The Comets beat Breckinridge County, 4-1, in the final varsity matchup of the trip.

“Corey Oney really pitched a great game going the distance in the victory allowing just two hits,” West Carter Head Coach Stan McGlone told The Journal-Times. “He also struck out six batters.”

Alex Rose had two hits and a two-run single that proved the game-wining hit. Oney had one hit and drove in one run and Valdepena also had two hits in the win. Carroll, Lee, Drew Oney and Brett Tackett each crossed the plate for West in the win.

Back on April 8, West Carter scored a 7-4 home win over visiting Bath County. Valdepena pitched six innings for the win allowing four unearned runs. Corey Oney threw from the mound in the seventh inning and recorded the save. Valdepena allowed six hits, struck out four and walked one lone Wildcat batter. Oney struck out two and walked one in his one inning of work.

In the win, Lee led the locals at the plate with two hits and scoring twice. Logan had one hit, scored a run and knocked in another score. Vanlandingham walked twice was hit by a pitch and scored one run. Valdepena had one hit and score once. Corey Oney reached base three times and scored a pair of runs. McKenzie McGlone smacked a 2-run double.

Coach McGlone was pleased with the effort, the first in several years for a Comet baseball club over Bath County.

“I thought Valdepena did an outstanding job on the mound changing his delivery speeds,” the Comet baseball boss said. “He really focused when Bath came back to tie up the game in the third inning.”

The Comets fell to rival East Carter, 11-1, last Wednesday, just 24 hours after battling past Bath. Corey Oney was the losing pitcher and Raider ace Ryan Sagraves picked up the win for East. The Comet pitching staff allowed nine walks and nine hits in the mercy-rule loss.

McGlone was obvious about his disappointment.

“Frankly, we were intimidated and looked nothing like the team the night before,” Coach McGlone said. “East is a great team with many weapons and we simply weren’t ready to play them. There is simply no excuse for not having intensity against a district opponent and your biggest rival!”

West rebounded with an 8-7 win at Russell on Thursday, April 10. Drew Oney picked up this win from the mound for the Comets, pitching seven innings for the victory.

The locals jumped to a big 6-zip lead in the top of the first inning. Stevens walked and Vanlandingham reached on an error. Logan walked next to load the bases, then Logan and Carroll scored on a wild pitch and a passed ball. Valdepena followed with an RBI-single. McGlone then drove in Valdepena, closing out the side.

The host Devils scored once in the first and five times in the second to tie things at 6-6.

West regained the lead in the third inning when Lee led off by doubling to deep left center. Valdepena grounded out advancing Lee to third then McGlone doubled him in for the go-ahead score.

Russell knotted things back up at 7 in the bottom of the fourth but the Comets took the lead for good in the top half of the sixth. Derek Lawson walked to start the inning. Two batters later, Vanlandingham doubled to deep left to score Lawson for what proved to be the game-winning hit.

“Drew Oney gave a gutsy 7-inning effort scattering nine hits, striking out five and walking just three batters,” the coach said. “A key point in the game was in the bottom of the sixth inning when Russell had a runner at third with just one out. McGlone snagged a hot line drive near third then tagged the bag for the inning-ending doubleplay.

“And Vanlandingham had that huge hit and McGlone also had a huge offensive game for us. I was also impressed with Oney’s composure on the mound through all seven innings – we had some great swings tonight and six different players had hits. This was a huge team win for our baseball program.”

Members of the 2008 West Carter Baseball Comets include; Stephen Carroll, Joseph Lee, Tyler Stevens, Matt Logan, Corey Oney, David Valdepena, Brad Vanlandingham, Alex Rose, Joey Carroll, Kyle Lawson, Drew Oney, Trey Middleton, Zeb Brown, Derek Lawson, McKenzie McGlone, Brett Tackett. Coaches are Stan McGlone, Kenny Fankell and Ryan Tomolonis. J.T. Johnson is the Comet batboy this season.

West and East battled again, last night, this time in Olive Hill. Look for results and game photos in next week’s sports section of The Journal-Times.

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.