LEBANON, Va. -- Cody Compton surely would've preferred to see his baseball team win another Southwest District championship in its usual, crisp manner, but as it was the Lebanon coach had to settle for a long, tedious victory on Monday.
The Pioneers raked in some more SWD hardware, backing their regular-season title with a 6-3 win over Virginia High in the final of the league tournament, held at Doc Adams Field.
Lebanon, state champion twice in the last three seasons, has won 12 of 12 games against SWD competition this spring, and the Pioneers (16-5) were in command all evening in this one. However, they could have been sharper in (finally) closing the door on the Bearcats (12-9).
The game dragged past two hours, with hitters on both sides working deep into counts and pitchers often struggling to find the strike zone.
Six different pitchers -- three from each team -- combined to walk 15 batters.
"Well, we walked eight and hit one with a pitch -- not sure how many times we were walked (seven) by their guys," Compton said. "But if you don't throw strikes, it makes for a long game."
There were also 23 strikeouts in the game, including a combined 15 by three Lebanon pitchers.
Meanwhile, Virginia High produced just one base hit.
"I wasn't pleased with our approaches at the plate," VHS coach Adam Moore said. "We went away from what we'd been working on -- I thought it was better against Richlands the other day.
"But, it's been kind of a problem for us mentally all year, to have the right approaches."
The nine free passes handed out by three Lebanon pitchers kept VHS in the game, however. In fact, control issues forced Compton to make a move rarely seen in high school baseball, when he asked his ace pitcher to return to the mound from his prior spot on the hot corner.
"No, I never thought I would do that," the second-year Lebanon boss said.
Lebanon had led ever since scoring two runs in the bottom of the first inning, and the Pioneers were smoothing along with a 6-1 edge when reliever Isaac Godsey strolled out for his third frame in the top of the sixth. He had retired all six batters he had faced in relief of starter Nathan Phillips, including four by strikeout.
Phillips had pitched the first three innings, striking out seven, walking three and giving up VHS's only hit, a first-inning, bloop single by Devin Lathrop to give the Bearcats a 1-0 edge.
The plan was for Phillips to throw three innings before turning it over to the bullpen.
"I think we were going to go with Johnny Allstaff and let everybody throw," Phillips said. "But when situations arise, you've got to do what you've got to do."
Down by the five runs, VHS opened the sixth with a hit-batsman and a pair of walks to load the bases, and suddenly the Bearcats had some hope. Godsey struck out the next hitter, but then Calloway Jordan worked the right-hander for another base on balls to force home a run.
Another run scored on a passed ball, making it a 6-3 game with Bearcat runners at second and third, and still only one out.
Compton went back to the well at that point, bringing Phillips to the mound one more time.
"Godsey was cruising through the first few innings so I didn't think to get anybody loose -- my [next] reliever [Jake Hilton] is in the outfield," the coach admitted. "I don't know what happened. He hit a rough spot, but he's a sophomore and he's thrown some good innings for us this year."
Phillips did what Phillips does, immediately striking out back-to-back batters to put out the fire.
The 6-foot-2, 230-pound junior then returned to third base for the seventh inning, when Hilton was sent to the mound to close it down.
Hilton whiffed the 15th Bearcat, but not before walking a couple batters and having runners at second and third with two outs. Shortstop Chance Parker collected the last out, diving in the hole up the middle to snare a line-drive off the bat of Lathrop.
Phillips was happy to be able to check a new box, starter/reliever in the same game. He kept his pitch count under 75 for the day, meaning he can come back to pitch with two day's rest.
"Completely unexpected," said the right-hander, who picked up the win. "I mean, we got into a situation where a guy needed some help -- a guy who's thrown tremendous all year. He helped me early on in the year, so I was just returning the favor.
"In the first couple of innings I had a couple of mechanical issues, so I had to work past that. I felt that it was a great opportunity for me to come in and adjust, help us get a couple of outs."
The Pioneers had given Phillips an early lead after VHS had gained its 1-0 edge.
Lebanon got right to business losing pitcher Ollie Foy, with Luke Garrett leading off the bottom of the first with a walk, followed by a run-scoring double from Parker. Dagan Barton then followed with an RBI single, and the Pioneers were in front to stay.
Phillips plated a run in the third with a ground-ball out, before Lebanon hung a 3-spot in the fourth against Jordan, who had relieved Foy.
Toby Baker lined a two-run single and Eli Breeding drew a bases-loaded walk, and Lebanon had its 6-1 advantage at the end of four innings.
Garrett drew three walks and scored two runs for the Pioneers. Parker scored twice as well, while Barton had two of the seven Lebanon hits.
Both teams have home games on Thursday when the eight-team, Region 2D tournament begins at four locations. The tournament semifinals and finals are set to be played in Lebanon.
Lebanon will play as the No.1 seed out of the SWD and VHS will be the league's No.2 seed. Richlands and Marion will also represent the Southwest District in Region 2D play.