Bluefield Daily Telegraph, Bluefield, WV

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June 3, 2011

Honaker advances to regional finals

By ANTHONY STEVENS for the Daily Telegraph

WISE, Va. — It will be a third appearance in four years for Honaker at the Group A state baseball tournament.

It was a nail biter from start to finish, but Honaker held on for a 4-1 win over Gate City at Shupe Field in the semifinals of the Region D, Division 2 baseball tournament on Thursday afternoon.

There was no need to look far for a hero for the Tigers. After pitching six innings in a win against John Battle on Tuesday, Honaker righthander Derrick Murphy was summoned to the mound in the second inning.

“I never really expected to go in,” said Murphy. “Coach (Tom) Harding just told me to go out to the bullpen and toss. I threw a few pitches and he said get ready.”

Starting pitcher Chaz Miller struggled with his control allowing a run, while walking three in an inning-plus. Murphy came into the game with a 2-0 count on Gate City’s Wes Hughes. He proceeded to strikeout Hughes for the second out. He got out of the inning without allowing a run when catcher Jordan Dye made a nice block of a pitch in the dirt and threw a dart to third nailing a runner trying to move up.

“I didn’t really know if I had any left in the tank or not,” Murphy said. “I just wanted to try to throw strikes for us.

“Once I got out to the mound and got loose, I felt I was in control. The play by Jordan Dye was huge, after that everything just started clicking for us.”

Gate City took an early 1-0 lead. Lead-off man Cory Franklin singled up the middle. He advanced to second on a passed ball and stole third. He scored on a ground out by Jordan Tipton.

Honaker took the lead in the second against Gate City starter Austen Arnold. Murphy walked to start the inning. After a strikeout, Cameron Keene was hit by a pitch. Murphy and Keene moved up on a wild pitch. Tre Bunn then tied the game 1-1 with a single to left.

Another strikeout brought Cory Brown to the plate with two outs. Brown then laced a triple to center, driving in two runs. Blue Devil center fielder Justin Miles made a valiant effort but could not come up with it. Miller then hit a RBI double to left as the Tigers went up 4-1.

Gate City (10-11) brought in Hughes to pitch in the third and he went the rest of the way, only allowing two hits and no runs. But the one big inning was enough to make Honaker (21-2) the winner.

“You try to defend yourself from the one big inning as best as you can,” Gate City coach Darren Reed said. “Honaker got the timely hits. They took advantage of their opportunities.”

With a solid defense that turned two double plays behind him, Murphy sailed through the next four innings. He made it exciting in the seventh when he allowed two hits but a deep fly ball by Hughes was corralled by Cameron Keene for the final out to send Honaker to the D2 championship contest.

“Murphy is a battler,” said a thrilled Honaker coach Tom Harding. “When it gets crunch time, that’s exactly who you want out there and I’ve been very fortunate to have him for four years.

“Murphy is just a tremendous competitor, that wants the ball.”

Brown and Kiser finished with two hits each to lead the Tigers. Five different players had hits for the Blue Devils.

Honaker will play the winner of the other semifinal contest between J.J. Kelly and Virginia High this evening at approximately 7 p.m. at the University of Virginia’s College at Wise.



at Shupe Field

Gate City.......................100   000   0  —  1  5  0

Honaker.........................040   000   x  —  4  7 1

C. Miller, Murphy (2) and Jo. Dye. Arnold, Hughes (3) and D. Miller. W—Murphy(7-1). L—Arnold (4-6). HR—none.

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