The Unity Bulldogs lost three of their four games in West Virginia, but the trip seemed to fulfill several objectives.
Second-year Manager Glen Stott feels playing against superior competition will strengthen his team’s camaraderie.
“I have a bunch of young players, and I just want to get them together as a team and let them get to know each other. “I’m just planning,” he said. “It worked well.”
Unity played at Bridgeport and Clarksburg, two hours south, in the Timbuck Shields Memorial Tournament in West Virginia.
The Bulldogs lost to Bridgeport Junior 9-2 and South Charleston 10-0 Friday. Stott said the final results were misleading.
“We were in those games until the end,”
Unity trailed Bridgeport 2-1 before the home team scored seven runs in the fourth. Bridgeport, a multiple-time West Virginia state champion, won in the sixth inning. Later that day, Unity Bulldogs trailed 4-0 until South Charleston scored six times in the fifth to impose the 10-run mercy rule.
Despite the loss, Unity’s manager praised pitcher Jack Thomas’ performance against West Virginia state champion South Charleston. Thomas pitched well despite surrendering five hits in the fifth inning.
Unity forfeited Moundsville on Saturday. Unity offered a defensive player and won an exhibition game 13-2 in five innings.
The Bulldogs won with seven runs in the second inning and 12 hits. Zach Stott, Jackson McMullen, and Tyler Samide each had two hits. McMullen drove in three runs.
Unity lost the tournament Sunday against Potomac Valley, a squad with six university players.
They were amazing. Glen Stott said Potomac Valley, which won the bracket, was remarkable to witness.
As predicted, the young Bulldogs, with six players still in Latrobe-Derry Area Teener League, struggled against an experienced club.
“They’re still very young, and they have a little bit of difficulty trying to keep up with the older teams,” Glen Stott said. “We have a good nucleus for the next few years.”
Riley Smith played well behind the plate and had two singles in the games against Bridgeport and Potomac Valley, while the younger Stott, McMullen, and Tony Massari batted well all weekend.
In addition to the lopsided losses, the Bulldogs suffered significant injuries that might hurt them during the District 31 American Legion campaign. Bushy Run defeated them 17-0 on Monday.
We were hurt, and the kids are exhausted. “A lot of baseball,”
The squad grew most off the field. The Bulldogs had a team meal Saturday night and a hotel pool party despite limited free time in West Virginia.
They play ball. School acquaintances. But this way, they get to know one other off the field,” Glen Stott said.
Despite the game outcomes, Unity’s manager said he plans to take his team to West Virginia for a weekend in future seasons, following the Latrobe Jethawks and Manager Jason Bush’s lead.
Unity’s first such journey. Glen Stott remarked, “Jason has been doing this for years, and I wanted all of Latrobe and Unity players to do it.” “I’ll keep trying.”
Game 1
Unity 0 0 0 1 1 0 X – 2 5 0
Bridgeport 1 1 0 7 0 X X – 9 7 1
Game 2
Unity 0 0 0 0 0 X X – 0 4 3
S Charleston 0 2 0 2 6 X X – 10 6 0
Game 3
Moundsville 1 0 0 1 0 X X – 2 4 3
Unity 2 7 0 4 X X X – 13 12 2
Game 4
Potomac Valley 11 1 3 0 2 X X – 17 10 0
Unity 0 0 0 0 1 X X – 1 4 7