Van's Earl Davis (18) makes a throw to first base during the Bulldogs' 11-6 loss to Huntington St. Joe in the first game of a doubleheader between the two teams on Thursday, Mar. 27, 2025, at Steven K. Bradley Field in Wharton.
Huntington St. Joe's Jacob Courts (22) delivers a pitch during the Irish's 11-6 win over Van in the first game of a doubleheader between the two teams on Thursday, Mar. 27, 2025, at Steven K. Bradley Field in Wharton.
Van's Parker Moore (14) swings at a pitch during the Bulldogs' 11-6 loss to Huntington St. Joe in the first game of a doubleheader between the two teams on Thursday, Mar. 27, 2025, at Steven K. Bradley Field in Wharton.
Huntington St. Joe's Brayden McDowell (11) runs to third base during the Irish's 11-6 win over Van in the first game of a doubleheader between the two teams on Thursday, Mar. 27, 2025, at Steven K. Bradley Field in Wharton.
Van's Earl Davis (18) makes a throw to first base during the Bulldogs' 11-6 loss to Huntington St. Joe in the first game of a doubleheader between the two teams on Thursday, Mar. 27, 2025, at Steven K. Bradley Field in Wharton.
Huntington St. Joe's Jacob Courts (22) delivers a pitch during the Irish's 11-6 win over Van in the first game of a doubleheader between the two teams on Thursday, Mar. 27, 2025, at Steven K. Bradley Field in Wharton.
Van's Parker Moore (14) swings at a pitch during the Bulldogs' 11-6 loss to Huntington St. Joe in the first game of a doubleheader between the two teams on Thursday, Mar. 27, 2025, at Steven K. Bradley Field in Wharton.
Huntington St. Joe's Brayden McDowell (11) runs to third base during the Irish's 11-6 win over Van in the first game of a doubleheader between the two teams on Thursday, Mar. 27, 2025, at Steven K. Bradley Field in Wharton.
WHARTON, W.Va. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” The Huntington St. Joe baseball team went to Van on Thursday evening and defeated the Bulldogs 11-6 in the first game of a doubleheader between the two squads.
"Their pitcher (Cade Price) is really good," Irish coach Scott Schumate said. "He was probably 80, 80-plus. ... We start two juniors and one freshman, and the rest are sophomores, so we're young, but all these freshmen played 32 games last year, and they're sophomores, so we expect big things out of them."
A two-run single by Wyatt Pence as well as run-scoring hits by Hudson Moosavi and Jacob Courts put St. Joe up 4-0 in the top of the first inning, but Van (0-7) came back with a run in the next half-inning as Easton Moore scored on an error.
It was a 5-2 game going into the road half of the third, and St. Joe's Mason Watts doubled to plate a pair of runs while two more Irish runs scored off an error, and St. Joe's lead swelled to 9-2.
Moore scored on an error, Earl Davis walked with the bases loaded and a hit-by-pitch ensued to help the Bulldogs pull to within 9-5, but Brayden McDowell and Cam Kellar came through with RBI singles to increase the Irish advantage to 11-5 in the top of the fifth.
Moosavi (one RBI), Courts (one RBI) and Pence (two RBIs) led Huntington St. Joe in hitting with two hits apiece, while McDowell (two RBIs), Watts (one double, two RBIs) and Kellar (one RBI) all had one base knock.
McDowell pitched three innings and surrendered two hits, a run and two walks while striking out five batters, and Courts (two innings, four hits, five runs, two earned runs, two walks, four Ks) saw time on the hill also.
Davis had three hits for the Bulldogs while Moore hit safely twice, and Levi Elkins had a hit with an RBI. Price, Joey Moore, Parker Moore and James Harrison were all hitless for Van, but each accounted for one RBI.
Price (11 runs, nine ER, six walks, six Ks) and Davis (no runs, no walks, one K) both pitched for Van.
Schumate said St. Joe can build off its perfect 4-0 start to begin the campaign.
"Our schedule allows us to take a couple days off here and there, and last year, I kind of overscheduled a little bit, but this year, I've kind of set back," he said. "We just have 28 games scheduled, so we get a few days off here and there."
Bulldogs coach Dave Gogas said Van is starting to see the ball well at the plate.
"Things are coming around. We're just inexperienced," Gogas said. "We're getting there."
Gogas said the Bulldogs just have to stay with it despite the rough start to the year.
"The kids are working harder," Gogas said. "I see improvement every game out, and I'm tickled with the kids' effort. I think we'll get there. We just have to get some experience under our belt."
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