By Gary Fauber
Register-Herald Assistant Sports Editor
GLEN DANIEL —
Right now, J.J. Tabor will take a win any way he can get it.
That’s good, because when it comes to the good, the bad and the ugly, he got two of the three Friday against Midland Trail.
In a game that saw 28 combined hits and 17 walks, Liberty put together more offense in a 17-12 win.
The Raiders bounced back from a 16-0 pasting at the hands of Man to improve to 3-1. But, it wasn’t pretty.
“We gave them too many opportunities to stay in the game,” said Tabor, the Raiders’ second-year coach. “Not taking anything away from Trail. They kept battling and kept hitting the ball. But we just didn’t close it out the way I felt like we should have.
“We made some baserunning mistakes. We didn’t turn some double plays to get us out of some innings. We just didn’t get it done (well enough).
“But, we got the win and that’s what matters. We have played two really good games and two ugly ones and we’re 3-1. So, I’m happy with it.”
Anyone looking for a pitching clinic did not get it on this unseasonably hot day.
Each team batted around — Liberty did it twice. The Raiders sent nine batters to the plate in the first inning and went ahead 4-0. Their first six batters reached safely.
But the Patriots (0-2) went ahead 7-4 in the top of the second. Liberty starter Jacob Shea walked four and hit a batter before being relieved by junior Michael Muovich with the bases loaded and nobody out.
Liberty fought back with four more runs in the bottom of the inning, but Trail went back on top 9-8 in the fourth.
The Raiders finally took control in bottom of the fourth, sending 13 batters to the plate. Trail pitchers combined to walk seven batters in what would be an eight-run inning.
Hunter Scarbro (0-1) was tagged with the loss for the Patriots, who finally got their season started Thursday against Greenbrier West.
“All of my pitchers battled,” said first-year Trail coach Makie McComack, a 1996 Valley graduate. “I was proud of them. Hunter probably threw 90 to 100 pitches, and that’s asking a lot the second game of the season.
“But, my boys battled. I’m trying to instill in them that we can win here. For years we have won in basketball and football. Baseball has always lacked and I’m trying to get it in them. Seventeen-to-12 looks like a rough score, but we were there and Liberty knew it.
“I’m real happy with the kids. We had 31 days of good practice. These kids did everything we asked of them. By the time sectionals come around, everybody is going to know who Midland Trail is.”
Freshman right fielder Joey Lacek drove in four runs for Liberty, including a two-run homer in the second. Senior catcher Zac Acord also had four RBIs.
Muovich (1-0) got the win after pitching six innings of relief.
“I didn’t want to go with Michael, but he was big for us,” Tabor said. “He came in and threw strikes for us and took the pressure off the offense and our defense. We’ll take it.”
Liberty plays at Oak Hill at 2 p.m. today, while Trail hosts Wyoming East at 5 p.m.
— E-mail: gfauber@
register-herald.com
Liberty 17, Midland Trail 12
MT: 071 103 0 — 12 12 2
L: 440 801 x — 17 16 2
MT: Hunter Scarbro, Sidney Crist (4), Jaren DuFour (4) and Crist, DuFour (4) and Crist (4), L: Jacob Shea, Michael Muovich (2) and Zac Acord. WP — Muovich. LP — Scarbro. Hitting — MT: Keith Harper (2 rbi), Scarbro (2 rbi), Casey Deskins 3-4 (2 rbi), Marshal Wood (rbi), Jared George 2-5 (2 rbi), Jake Howell 2-4 (rbi), Nathan O’Dell (rbi), L: Corey Dishmon (rbi), Muovich 2-3 (rbi), Jerry Toney (2b, 2 rbi), Shea 4-5 (2b, 2 rbi), Acord 3-3 (2b, 4 rbi), Joey Lacek 3-4 (hr, 4 rbi), Jacob Perdue 2-4 (2 rbi), Austin Lyons (2b).
Records: MT: 0-2; L: 3-1.
