West Springfield's bats heat up, carry Spartans to title

West Springfield senior pitcher Bobby Wahl had often wondered what winning the Virginia AAA championship would feel like, particularly after his Spartans got knocked out in the state semifinals last year.

He knows now, after being dominant when he needed to be and collecting three hits and three RBI in a 10-2 state championship win over previously unbeaten Woodbridge on Saturday at Westfield.

"I never dreamed it'd feel this good honestly," a grinning Wahl said during his team's postgame celebration. "I've dreamt about winning the game in the state championship, falling on the mound and everything, but nothing compares. Nothing compares.

"All the memories of West Springfield [and] four years kind of hit me. I had flashbacks going on. It was just one of those feelings that I will never feel again in my life, I don't think."

Even though Wahl, a Mississippi recruit, and first baseman Charlie Morgan, who is going to Wake Forest, have received the bulk of the attention this season, they had plenty of help from their teammates in the final.

Junior leadoff hitter Aaron Self singled three times, walked and scored three runs. Senior Kyle Snyder had two hits and knocked in two runs. Sophomore Daniel Allen drove in two of the Spartans' five runs in the fourth inning. Junior Garrett Wooddell had RBI on a groundout and a sacrifice fly.

Wahl fanned seven and walked six, not recording a strikeout the first time through the lineup. But he allowed just one hit after the fourth and twice won showdowns with Woodbridge All-Met Tyler Thomas. Thomas doubled in a run off Wahl in the third inning and was up with the bases loaded and two outs in the fourth and sixth, but he struck out swinging both times.

"In the early innings, it didn't seem like his velocity was up," Thomas said. "But it started picking up later on in the game. I just didn't get the bat on the ball."

"Those were adrenaline at-bats," West Springfield Coach John James said. "I think [Wahl's] velocity jumped up about 5 to 7 miles per hour in those at-bats."

The Spartans (24-4), the first Northern Region champion since Madison went unbeaten in 2002, collected six hits off Woodbridge senior right-hander Nick Rogowski in the first three-plus innings. Woodbridge (27-1) left 11 runners on base.

"It's hard to lose a state championship when . . . you've come so far and got so close," Rogowski said. "Maybe they can do it next year."

See you next year? West Springfield and Woodbridge will return a combined 11 starters in 2011.