BY KYLE LOVERN
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

The Tug Valley Panthers, coached by LeeAnn Blankenship, dropped two games but picked up a win in recent baseball action.

Tug Valley 9, Phelps 1

PHELPS — The Tug Valley Panthers improved to 2-7 on the season with a 9-1 road win over the Phelps Hornets on Thursday, April 10.

Gage Whitt was the starting and winning pitcher for TVHS. Austin Smith and Jacob Jones also saw action on the hill for the Panthers.

Tug Valley collected 12 hits in the game. Whitt, Jones, Chandler Copley and Conner Gillman each collected two hits. Dawson Richardson, Whitt, Elijah Fluty and Copley each drove in one run for the Panthers. Fluty led Tug Valley Panthers with three walks. Overall, the team had a strong eye at the plate, accumulating 10 walks for the game.

Belfry 12, Tug Valley 0

NAUGATUCK, W.Va. — The Belfry Pirates defeated the Tug Valley Panthers 12-0 in a five-inning game April 9 at Don Spence Field in Naugatuck.

Dante Davis pitched a complete game for Belfry. He only gave up two hits and struck out 10 Panthers batters in the shutout win.

Chandler Copley took the mound loss for TVHS.

Bryce Hagy led the Pirates with three hits, including a double and four RBIs. Chase Varney had two hits, including a double. Eli Jones also had two hits with a two-bagger, while Garrett Maynard had a pair of hits.

Gavin Fitzpatrick and Elijah Fluty both had singles for the Panthers.

Man 10, Tug Valley 0

MAN, W.Va. — The Man Hillbillies, one of the top-ranked Class A teams in West Virginia, defeated Tug Valley 10-0 at Tootie Carter Field in Man on April 8.

Braxton Messer hurled a five-inning no-hitter for the Billies. He also helped his own cause with a pair of doubles. Messer had 10 strikeouts on the hill for Man.

Austin Smith took the loss on the mound for TVHS.

Elijah Fluty also saw action on the bump for the Panthers.

Note: Tug Valley’s game at Belfry on Friday, April 11, was postponed until May due to the rain and cold weather.