Minutemen stun Buccaneers behind Mealey's late 3-run shot, 10-8

“Credit to them. They are a solid team. They came up with hits when they needed them. A few things didn’t go our way and we let it get to us. Next thing you know they are up on us and we are trying to claw back in the game,” Buckhannon-Upshur coach Adam Squires said.

Ryder Aman was the lone Minuteman to record a multiple hit outing, finishing 2 for 3 with a run and three RBIs while Mealey certainly made the most of his lone hit of the day with his homer closing out a high-scoring, back-and-forth affair.

Trenton Hunt got the starting nod for the Minutemen, picking up the win after allowing eight runs on eight hits, walking four and striking out six in five innings.

Joey Aman closed out the game on the mound for the Minutemen, earning the save pitching two scoreless innings, giving up three hits, walking three and striking out two.

“I thought Joey Aman’s performance, coming in and shutting the door to get the save was key. We have had struggles out of the bullpen all year long so to have someone we can turn to in a clutch big game situation speaks volumes,” Wood said.

Four Buccaneers recorded multi-hit games, highlighted by Zach Calef-Boring finishing 2 for 5 with a home run.

Payton Bennett finished 2 for 3 with a run, Jaden Westfall went 2 for 4 with three RBIs and Clint Crites 2 also finished 2 for 4 with two runs and a RBI.

Three pitchers saw time on the mound for the Buccaneers with Drahden Rice getting the start, lasting three innings after giving up six runs on six hits and walking two.

Ryan Snyder relieved Rice in the top of the fourth, surrendering two runs on two hits, walking two and fanning three in two innings of work.

Crites tossed the final two innings to close out the game for B-U, taking the loss after giving up two runs on three hits, walking one and retiring two.

The Minutemen wasted no time landing the game’s first blow as Ryder Aman drove a hard ground ball to right field bringing in Mealey for a score.

The Buccaneers tied the game at 1 in the bottom of the inning with Calef-Boring smashing the first pitch he seen over the left field fence.

B-U continued to roll in the bottom of the first with Crites singling on a ground ball to left field bringing in Bennett for a score to give the Buccaneers their first lead of the game before Westfall sent a hard ground ball to right field, plating both Landon Marple and Crites to push the Buccaneers lead to 4-1.

Seemingly not phased by the deficit, Lewis chipped away at the B-U lead with Ryder Aman hitting a two-RBI line drive single to right field bringing in both Brayden Carder and Mealey for scores as the Minutemen drew within one, 4-3.

Rice balked with Drew Cayton at the plate which allowed Hunt to score, tying the game at 4 before Cayton finished the at-bat by hammering a triple. to score Ryder Aman as the Minutemen regained control of the lead.

Lewis closed out the top of the third with a 6-4 lead after Cayton tagged up and scored following a Zach James fly out.

B-U scored a run in the bottom of the fourth as Brayden Hamer singled, driving in Hunt for a score before seizing control of the game in the bottom of the fifth with scores from Cayton, Gage Parsons and Crites allowing the Buccaneers to carry a 8-6 lead into the top of the sixth.

The Minutemen would trim the lead with Joey Aman singling on a ground ball to short, scoring Liam Jefferies before Mealey’s homer wrapped up the scoring.

The Buccaneers wouldn’t go away quietly, with Joey Aman walking Hamer and Bennett and a single from Calef-Boring loading the bases for Marple. Yet Joey Aman managed to strike Marple out to seal the win.

“Despite not playing our best game, I felt that we had right person at the plate for the final at-bat with the bases loaded and an opportunity to walk it off but just couldn’t get it done,” Squires said.

Buckhannon-Upshur (9-4) are set to hit the road on Friday, traveling to square off against Parkersburg South at 2 p.m. while Lewis County (5-7) will look to push their winning streak to three at home against Philip Barbour on Monday at 5:30 p.m.