PREP BASEBALL
West Liberty-Salem takes control of OHC race
Tigers hand Greeneview its first loss and remains unbeaten in league play.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
JAMESTOWN — Greeneview didn't hide its motivation. Before and during its game against West Liberty-Salem on Wednesday, April 16, the Rams punctuated each huddle with a shout of "OHC!"
The meaning was obvious. The Rams want to win the Ohio Heritage Conference baseball championship. Beating the Tigers would have been a big step toward that goal.
Extras
West Liberty, though, turned the Rams' chant into motivation of its own in a 10-2 victory that knocked Greeneview from the unbeaten ranks.
"What'd they say?" said one West Liberty player before the game after hearing Greeneview's chant.
"They won't be chanting that later," another Tiger said.
The Tigers turned a 3-2 lead into an 8-2 advantage in the fifth inning.
Freshman Tyler Cordell had the big blow, a bases-clearing triple. Cordell also drove in West Liberty's first run, finishing 3-for-4 and adding a diving catch in center field.
"Cordell's like a gazelle in center field," said West Liberty's starting pitcher Levi Woodruff, "and having him as our leadoff makes you pretty comfortable."
The victory puts the Tigers (10-2 overall) in first place in the OHC at 7-0. Greeneview (7-1, 5-1 OHC) plays the Tigers again Monday.
"This is a talented team, and they didn't show it tonight," Greeneview coach Paul Thompson said. "They were flat from the first pitch to the last pitch, and it never changed."
Greeneview committed four errors, walked eight batters and hit two. Woodruff walked one batter and gave up just one extra-base hit, a solo homer to Andrew Snell in the first.
"That's one of the things that makes him such a good pitcher," West Liberty coach Toby Smith said. "He's capable of overcoming the negative things that happen to him."




Tyler Cordell