The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

Sports

May 29, 2008

Red Devil seniors hoping for night to remember

By Gary Fauber

Win or lose, tonight will be a night to remember for six Oak Hill seniors.

The Red Devils will make their first state tournament appearance in seven years when they take on Point Pleasant in the Class AA semifinals. First pitch from Charleston’s Appalachian Power Park will be approximately 7:30 p.m. (30 minutes after completion of the Logan-Lincoln game).

Tonight is also graduation night at Oak Hill, and the seniors on the baseball team will miss commencement. However, a ceremony will be held at Power Park for Chris Chapman, Aaron McComas, Frankie McGraw, Tyler Oliver, Garrett Thompson and B.J. Wallace.

“They will be getting their diplomas before the game,” coach Chris Walls assured. “We don’t want to take any more from the parents than has already been taken away.”

After that, there is business to take care of.

Oak Hill (32-3) is in the state tournament for the first time since losing in the semifinals to Frankfort in 2001. This team has already shattered the school record for wins in a season, breaking the 25 won by last year’s group.

Point Pleasant, meanwhile, is making its second straight appearance after a 35-year drought. The Black Knights lost to Herbert Hoover in last year’s title game.

Point Pleasant (16-13) defeated favorite Magnolia 8-1 last week for the Region 1 title. Senior Asthon Jones (7-3) got the win, firing an eight-strikeout three-hitter.

Jones, an all-tournament selection last year, had missed eight games with an ankle injury. Either he or B.J. Lloyd, who threw a no-hitter against Ravenswood, will start tonight.

“He (Jones) throws probably 80 or 81 (miles per hour),” Point Pleasant coach Jim Higginbotham said. “He has a great curveball and was able to keep Magnolia off-balance. He has great control.”

The Knights have turned on the offense in the postseason, outscoring their opponents 43-19 in four games. They are led by Jones’ five home runs and 32 runs batted in. Shortstop Curtis Grimm is hitting .381 and has 18 RBIs, while sophomore utilityman D.W. Herdman is at .375 with 14 RBIs.

“They don’t bunt, they don’t steal. They just throw the ball out there and play,” Walls said. “They’re pretty good defensively and they hit the ball pretty well.”

Point Pleasant, which began the season 1-5, has played a tough schedule that included the likes of Chapmanville, Logan, Herbert Hoover and Winfield.

Oak Hill, meanwhile, has lost to only one in-state team — Independence, twice. The second time came in the sectional tournament, putting the Red Devils’ backs against the wall.

They responded, beating the Patriots twice to win the section, then coming back in their final at-bats against James Monroe and Wyoming East to punch their ticket to Charleston.

“I’m real proud of them to not give up ... and by the way they didn’t quit,” Walls said. “After we beat Shady Spring 3-2 (in their first losers’ bracket game), we had a 30-minute meeting on the right field line, and coach (Dan) Poland and I told them that their season would be over if they didn’t get back to playing the way they had played all year.”

Left-handed junior Tyler Zimm is 10-1 with a 2.39 ERA for Oak Hill. McGraw is 5-0, Wallace 7-0 and sophomore Dustin Nuckels 6-0.

McGraw is hitting .478 with six homers, nine doubles and 40 RBIs. Junior shortstop Rob Stephens is next at .457 with 13 doubles and has scored 58 runs.

Thompson, the first baseman, has been cleared to play after missing the Wyoming East game with an injury. McGraw moved from third to first and junior Brent Brash played third.

The seniors are hoping for a night to remember.

“From a player’s point of view and a coach’s point of view,” Walls said, “there is no better place to get your diploma.”

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