CHILLICOTHE — Behind a complete game shutout on the mound and four early runs, the Portsmouth Trojans earned a 4-0 victory over South Point in Tuesday’s Division III baseball district semifinal at VA Memorial Stadium.

As a result, the No. 2 seed in the Southeast District Trojans played for the program’s first district championship since 1996.

“South Point’s a young team that’s improving,” Portsmouth coach Aaron Duncan said, after the win. “They beat the two top teams in our league, some good non-league wins — that’s a good ball team we beat with their ace on the mound. It’s hard to beat somebody three times in one year.”

Portsmouth improved to 24-3 with its win over the Pointers, and now have their sights set on Thursday’s district final.

Trojans senior Tyler Duncan indeed went the distance in the shutout victory, allowing just five hits and striking out seven on 76 pitches.

“I thought Tyler did a really good job,” Duncan said. “He’s coming back from his injury, he’s stepped up and given us the innings where I felt comfortable using him today. Did a good job of mixing up his mixing up his change up and curve ball, able to keep them off balance with different speeds and changing eye level.”

Portsmouth got its first run of the game in its very first trip when Duncan scored on a wild pitch after reaching base with one out in the first on a dropped third strike.

They played add-on in the third inning, scoring three more times off two two-out hits in the frame.

Sophomore J.T. Williams delivered an RBI-single, scoring freshman Jacob Roth from second base after Roth reached on a South Point error with no outs.

Freshman Trevin Brooks then got the Portsmouth bench to its feet and out on the field in excitement as he dropped in a basehit that caromed past the South Point center fielder.

Driving in Williams, Brooks got on his horse and busted it around the bases — sliding head first into home for an inside-the-park home run to put the Trojans ahead 4-0.

“Trevin Brooks is a freshman. In December I knew he was good enough to start for this team. But I wanted to see him dominate JV for a bit. Him and Jacob Roth both did that, they’ve inserted themselves into the lineup and its’ made us better,” Coach Duncan said. “He’s a baseball player, very high IQ and he’s the type of kid that wants to be at the plate in that situation.”

Portsmouth faced Valley in Thursday’s Division III, Southeast No. 2 district final at VA Memorial Stadium.

It’s an all-Scioto County district final as the Trojans sought to win the program’s first district in 27 years.

“It’s been too long of a time coming. When we met and came up with goals in the offseason, they wanted to win a conference and we had a chance. And they wanted to win a district,” Duncan said. “The program’s progressing, it’s getting better. Whoever we play, hopefully we’re able to get that long, elusive district title.”

***

BOX SCORE

South Point 000 000 0 — 0 5 2

Portsmouth 103 000 X — 4 4 0

W: Tyler Duncan (P) 7IP, 5H, 0ER, 1BB, 7K; L: B. Hanshaw (SP) 6IP, 4H, 2ER 0BB, 6K

Portsmouth hitting

Jacob Roth 0-3, R

Tyler Duncan 0-3, R

Reade Pendleton 1-3

JT Williams 1-3, R, RBI

Trevin Brooks 1-3, R, 2RBI

Vinnie Lonardo 1-2

South Point hitting

C. Otzenberger 1-3

G. Chapman 2-3

X. Haney 1-3

R. Craft 1-3

Reach Jacob Smith at (740) 370-0713 ext. 1930, by email at [email protected], or on Twitter @JacobSmithPDT © 2023 Portsmouth Daily Times, all rights reserved