For Wheeling, they find themselves in the mix at the state tournament after getting there last year too, and fielding a team with plenty of players who were part of last year’s run.

Post 1 thinks their state tournament experience will be a factor in their favor.

“We’re very mature, we’ve got guys who have been there before,” Wheeling assistant coach Isaac Rine said. “It makes our jobs as coaches a lot easier. We don’t have to worry about telling a specific guy where to be when they’re in the field, they’re going to communicate with each other, they know what jobs they have to do at the plate. It just makes our jobs a whole lot easier.”

As Area One champion, Wheeling will face the runner-up of whatever Area they are matched up against in Martinsburg.

“It feels great,” Rine said. “This is one of our goals, to win the area, and our ultimate goal is to move on and win the region. You’ve got to make each step to get where you want to go and this is one step in the right direction.”

For Wellsburg, they find themselves in a polar opposite situation. Underdogs against Parkersburg Post 15 in an elimination game Wednesday, Post 34 pulled off a 6-5 victory over Parkersburg to advance to the Area championship.

Trailing 5-1 after three innings, Wellsburg plated three in the top of the fifth and two in the top of the seventh, keeping Parkersburg off the board down the stretch to earn their spot in the upcoming tourney.

In the seventh, a passed ball shuttled in a runner from third, and Caleb Billick smacked an RBI single to give Post 34 the lead.

Matt Geer picked up four hits, including a double, to pace Wellsburg against Parkersburg. Geer also picked up the win on the mound, pitching the final four innings in shutout fashion. TJ Decapio batted in two runs on two hits. Zac O’Mery and Garrett Moore each had multiple knocks for Wellsburg as well.

“I think our team won the Area tournament yesterday, in their minds,” Wellsburg head coach Micah Knisely said. “We beat Parkersburg and that was a big win for us as a team, as a group of kids. I think yesterday it felt to them like they’d won it and today didn’t matter as much. We came out flat today in my opinion.”

Wellsburg Post 34 advances to the state tournament for the first time since the 90’s, a historic accomplishment for this year’s iteration.

“I’m pumped,” Knicely said. “This is the first time all of us have been in the state tournament. I don’t think the boys understand the magnitude of what’s coming. That’s not a bad thing if they play relaxed and not worry about the stage.”

“We’ll be just fine come the tournament. It’s a whole different atmosphere.”

As for Thursday’s action, Wheeling plated five in the first inning and forced a run-rule win after the top of the fifth.

Braxton Billick had perhaps the biggest swing of the game for Post 1, a bases-loaded double in the third inning which drove in all three runners.

Jaxon Murray had a two-run triple, and Andrew Skadra doubled and drove in two. Rocco Paolina had two hits and two RBI for Post 1.

Luke Doyle pitched the whole game for Wheeling, striking out five and surrendering just one hit and no walks.

“They played their butts off yesterday against Parkersburg and we knew we could not take them lightly,” Rine said of Wellsburg. “We had to come in with the same focus we did yesterday. Our boys played well.”