Derrick Webb, Managing Editor
Southern Ohio Sports Authority is presented by OhioHealth.
MARIETTA — For the first time in school history, Lynchburg-Clay will play in a state tournament.
The Mustangs (23-3) claimed that right on Thursday night at Marietta College, and did so in dramatic, walk-off fashion.
With the scored tied 4-4 in the bottom of the ninth inning, Braedon West stepped to the dish with runners on second and third and one out.
He jumped on the first pitch he saw, sending a fly ball into right field. It was deep enough to score Elam Faust, sending the Mustangs into a Final 4.
West was responsible for the Mustangs’ work on the mound as well — all nine frames of it.
The senior tossed 122 pitches, surrendering three earned runs on seven hits while striking out five. As he has all year long, he beared down when he needed to the most and kept his team in the game.
St. Clairsville took a 2-0 lead in the top of the third inning, but Lynchburg answered in the bottom of the fourth when Cole Wells reached on error, allowing Josiah Burns to score.
That back-and-forth continued through much of the night.
The Red Devils (22-8) went ahead 3-1 in the fifth, only for the Mutsangs to answer in the bottom half on an RBI single from Burns.
After St. Clairsville again took a two-run lead at 4-2, the Red Devils’ defense once again came back to bite them.
Another error allowed both Trevor Niehaus and Cody Bell to cross home plate, tying the game at 4-4 in the bottom of the sixth.
CREDIT: Levi Hughes/SOSA
And that’s where the score stood until the ninth.
Faust singled with one out, followed by a double from Burns to set the stage for West.
History.
Burns led the Mustangs’ offense, going 3-for-4 with a double, a run, an RBI and a walk. West was 1-for-3 with an RBI, and Bell finished 2-for-5 with two runs scored.
Lynchburg-Clay now advances to a Division V state semifinal at 7 p.m. on Friday at Akron’s Canal Park.
The Mustangs will meet with St. Paris Graham Local, a 5-1 winner over Ironton, in that contest.
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