Ripley fan Kamryn Casto, the 8-year-old daughter of Ripley baseball coach Shane Casto and younger sister of senior Bryson Casto, shows her support during Friday’ s Class AAA state semifinal game against Bridgeport in Huntington. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

HUNTINGTON – Once Ripley players understood nothing is a given, they’ve burned a path to the Class AAA state championship and one win from winning back-to-back state titles.

Losing only one senior from last season, the Vikings needed to adjust the thought process on the fly. Friday’s 5-1 win over top-seeded Bridgeport at Jack Cook Field on the campus of Marshall University was proof positive the players embraced the message. Never assume anything.

“We had a rough year and we struggled a little bit,” said Ripley starting pitcher Landon Meadows, who pitched six full innings and to one batter in the seventh inning before giving way to Bryson Casto, who retired all three batters he faced.

“It was rough in the beginning, but the team came together and we started bonding real well. And we got real close, and that’s how you win a championship.”

Meadows pitched the final inning during Tuesday’s 12-10 quarterfinal win over Spring Valley – allowing one run on three hits — but coach Shane Casto had complete confidence to go back with his senior in a high-leverage situation.

Ripley’s Bryson Casto (13) celebrates with teammate Nevan Cale (14) after the Vikings defeated Bridgeport 5-1 in Friday’s Class AAA state semifinal game in Huntington. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

Meadows only struck out two while allowing six hits, but the right-hander was the perfect choice for the perfect job. For the majority of the game, he kept his pitch count to a minimum because he did not issue any walks.

“Landon is a strike throwing machine, and he doesn’t try to do too much,” Coach Casto said. “When he is on the mound, we have a very, very good defense behind him. And we knew Bridgeport was going to put the ball in play.

“In the sixth inning, he started getting a little tired in the heat. That was tough. People don’t take that into account when playing on turf.”

Ripley, the fourth seed in the field, improved to 26-10 and meets the winner of No. 2 St. Albans and No. 3 Shady Spring. First pitch for the Class AAA championship game is set for 5:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Bridgeport closes out the season at 31-5.

Ripley starting pitcher Landon Meadows delivers a pitch against Bridgeport in Friday’s Class AAA state semifinal game in Huntington. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

Ripley and Bridgeport were scheduled to meet during the regular season the first week of April, but was postponed.

On Friday, Meadows retired the first nine batters he faced. For Bridgeport, lefty Lance Butcher hit one batter and walked another in his first two innings of work, but escaped unscathed.

The top of the third inning, however, proved to be Bridgeport’s demise. Of the four Ripley runs, three were unearned.

The first three Ripley batters reached safely without the ball leaving the infield. John Cummings, who went 3-for-3, led off with a single when his line drive to the third baseman went off the glove and without a throw.

No. 9 hitter Eli Phalen laid down a bunt while attempting to move the runner over. Phalen appeared to beat the throw and a challenge used by coach Casto overturned the original call – putting runners on first and second base with no one out.

Ripley’s John Cummings reaches base as part of his third hit of the game against Bridgeport during Friday’s Class AAA state semifinal game against Bridgeport in Huntington. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

Bryson Casto also bunted. The pitcher fielding the ball hesitated on which base to throw to, and when he decided on first base, Casto was clearly safe and the throw sailed by the first baseman for an error which plated two runs.

The Kellers – Peyton then Parker – followed with deep flyouts to left field which eventually brought home Casto for a 3-0 lead.

Even with two outs and no one base, the Vikings weren’t done. Brady McVay walked, stole second then scored on a ground-rule double hit by Meadows.

Meadows, meanwhile, didn’t reach the 50 pitches until a strikeout for the second out in the bottom of the fifth inning. The Indians’ Brooks Vass and Cole Courtney hit back-to-back, two-out singles in that same frame but a fly out to straightaway center field ended the threat.

Meadows labored a bit in the sixth inning. Lucas Rohrig led off with a triple and scored Bridgeport’s only run on a ground out. With two outs, Kasen Baun singled, stole second before Guy Avolio flied out to the wall in left field.

Ripley coach Shane Casto talks to two of his players during a break in the action during Friday’s Class AAA state semifinal game against Bridgeport in Huntington. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

Meadows allowed a lead-off single in the seventh and coach Casto took the ball from him which resulted in a standing ovation as he walked off the field.

“I just came out and trusted my stuff,” Meadows said. “Just go out there and compete. That’s all you can do.

“This season, we had to change something. Just because we won it last year, doesn’t mean we are going to do it again.”

Ripley tacked on a run in its half of the seventh inning. Bryson Casto opened with a triple and later scored on a wild pitch. His pitching outing required only a dozen pitches or so after striking out the first two batters he faced and getting a lineout to Meadows playing first base.

“The boys heard it for a long time – we lost only one senior, so it’s going to be easy,” coach Casto said. “They thought everybody would roll over for us and give it to us. We knew it was going to be tough. We dealt with some injuries with Bryson and Peyton (Keller) throughout the year and kind of rode a roller coaster there for a while.

Ripley shortstop Bryson Casto (13) motions to the dugout whether they wanted to challenge a play at second base during Friday’s Class AAA state semifinal game in Huntington. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)

“We got them healthy and things seem to be clicking right now. I can’t wait for Saturday.”

WVSSAC State Baseball Tournament

Class AAA Semifinal

Ripley 5, Bridgeport 1

Ripley 004 000 1 – 5 6 0

Bridgeport 000 001 0 – 1 6 1

WP: Landon Meadows 6.0IP 6H 1R 1ER 0BB 2SO

Bryson Casto 1.0IP 0H 0R 0ER 0BB 2SO

LP: Blake Butcher 6.1IP 6H 5R 2ER 4BB 5SO

Guy Avolio 0.2IP 0H 0R 0ER 1BB 1SSO

Leading hitters

Ripley (26-10): Bryson Casto 1-2, 2 runs, 3B; Parker Keller RBI; Brady McVey run; Landon Meadows 1-3, RBI, 2B; John Cummings 3-3; Eli Phalen 1-3, run

Bridgeport (31-5): Lucas Rohrig 2-3, run, 3B; Owen Sondericker RBI; Kaen Baun 1-3; Cole Arnett 1-3; Brooks Vass 1-3; Cole Courtney 1-2

Next game: Ripley vs. Shady Spring-St. Albans winner, Class AAA state championship game, 5:30 p.m. Saturday at Jack Cook Field in Huntington.

Ripley’s Bryson Casto pulls up at third base ahead of the tag for a triple during Friday’s Class AAA state semifinal game against Bridgeport in Huntington. (Photo by Kerry Patrick)