Messerly's relief effort sees Morgantown through to Class AAAA state title game with 7-5 semifinal victory over George Washington

Dominion Post

07-06-2025

CHARLESTON – The Morgantown High School baseball team earned its spot in the Class AAAA state championship game with a gritty 7-5 victory in the semifinals of the 2025 WVSSAC state baseball tournament on Friday night at GoMart Ballpark in Charleston.
Senior relief pitcher Judd Messerly entered the game in the bottom of the fourth inning with two outs and a 6-5 lead as the Patriots had scored five runs in the frame.
Messerly finished the game on the bump for the Mohigans, allowing only one hit in 3.1 innings with two walks and two strikeouts in 45 pitches.
His effort, combined with a five-run second inning, propelled the Mohigans into the Class AAAA state championship game to battle top-seeded Hurricane Saturday night. The Redskins defeated Hedgesville 5-3 in the other AAAA semifinal.
'We came into a tough environment tonight against a very talented team and showed a high level of maturity to pull that win out,' MHS head coach Pat Sherald said. 'I can't tell you how proud I am of their effort tonight. Our mission was to come down here, compete, have fun, and give ourselves a chance to win a championship. They've answered that call, so now it's time to go back and rest up and come out prepared to face another very talented team.'
Offensively, senior Vinnie Aloi was the difference for MHS as he drove in four runs in the contest, including a bases-clearing double that capped a five-run second inning. His sacrifice fly in the first inning opened the scoring.
Sammy Watson reached on an infield single, followed by a walk to Kai Henkins. After two strikeouts, a pitch hit Bowers to load the bases, and a walk to Koa Silvers forced in a run, doubling the lead. Just three pitches later, Jackson Bredeson was also hit by a pitch, bringing in another run.
With the bases still loaded, Aloi stepped up and delivered a massive blow with his double off the left field wall that cleared the bases and brought all three runners home, extending the lead to 6-0.
George Washington punched back in the fourth with a five-run inning of its own, including a three-run double by Corbin Dixon off the left field wall.
Messerly then entered the game for MHS and stopped the bleeding, making way for his offense to add an insurance run in the top half of the sixth.
'I literally told them 'thank you' after that happened,' Messerly said. 'That was such a huge run and helped me settle down in that seventh inning when my nerves started to set in. My heart started beating pretty fast in that last inning.'
Sherald says Messerly has earned the nickname 'The Fireman'.
'When everything's burning down around, we call on him to come in and put out the fire for us, and that's exactly what he did,' Sherald said. He competed for us. We've put him in every high-leverage situation that we've had this season, and he's gone out and just competed for us.'
Morgantown and Hurricane will battle for the Class AAAA state championship in the nightcap of Championship Saturday, with first pitch being scheduled for 50 minutes after the conclusion of the Class AAA championship, slated to begin at 5:30 p.m.
BOX SCORE
Morgantown 7, George Washington 5
MHS 150 001 0 – 7 4 1
GWHS 000 500 0 – 5 6 1
Morgantown – Mazey 3100 Bowers 2211 Silvers 2101 Bredeson 2101 Aloi 2014 Boggs 4000 Watson 3020 Henkins 3100 Nipper 2000
2B: Aloi
3B: Bowers
George Washington – Fala 2111 Dixon 4013 Smith 3000 Kelley 4000 Gordon 2000 Barton 4110 Nelson 3120 Ellis 2100 Stewart 2100
2B: Dixon
3B: Nelson
(W) Messerly: 3.1ip 1h 0r 2bb 2k
(L) Barton 1.2ip 2h 6er 5bb 3k