The Lady Yellow Jackets had the right guidance system traversing past the road hazards to Blacksville and paved their way to a third consecutive Class A Region II Softball Championship with a 3-1 victory over Clay-Battelle on Tuesday to reach the state tournament for the ninth time in program history and fifth time in six seasons under coach Tammie Ayers.
“This is very, very awesome. I am super proud of these girls,” Moorefield coach Tammie Ayers commented.
“It seems we are hitting the ball much better and Bekah [Markwood] pitched a heck of a game. We just kept pecking away. It’s always a different atmosphere when you come to somebody else’s field. Our parents are really good to follow, but we don’t quite have the fan base as we do at home, obviously. It’s a whole different atmosphere and our goal has been to go to Vienna. We’ve been telling them that since the last Monday in February when we started practice. The girls could taste it today and we could see they were a little bit hungry to return out there too.”
It was a bumpy ride to the region championship, but one run in the third inning and two runs in the sixth inning were just enough to bridge the gap to Vienna as Moorefield pitcher Rebekah Markwood and the defense braced for impact and kept trucking.
Coming off an 11-3 win in the first game, the Lady Yellow Jackets (22-8) had the momentum going into the second game of championship series and this time around it was a pitcher’s duel as Clay-Battelle ace Caitlyn Kassay did everything in her power to limit baserunners with 11 strikeouts compared to five by Markwood.
Based on last year’s pitching numbers for these Class A all-state first team players, Markwood had a 1.82 ERA and Kassay held a 1.74 ERA with 135 strikeouts.
Kassay went to work in the strike zone to begin the second game of the series notching a strikeout to Markwood, then Remi Hinkle connected for a flyout in center field, Hanna Carlson drew her fifth walk of the series before being left on base on a strikeout to Madison McGregor.
Markwood started with the same result out of the pitching circle tossing a strikeout to Clay-Battelle’s Abbey Ammons.
Lady Cee Bees’ Rylee Burnette reached on an error by McGregor and Kassay singled on a left field blooper which was fielded by Moorefield’s Carmen Ketterman.
Alicia Keener hit into a fielder’s choice made by Lady Yellow Jackets third baseman Macie Zirk at her station, then Markwood retired the side with a strikeout to Ronda Petrucci to strand the Clay-Battelle baserunners.
Moorefield’s next three batters in the top of the second inning went down on consecutive strikeouts from Kassay as Tori Humphries, Alyssa Vetter and Macie Zirk were sent back to the dugout.
The Lady Cee Bees (20-6) side was short lived as well with Madison Statler hitting a pop-up to Moorefield shortstop Anna Riggleman, then Ashley Weber and Sydney Wilson grounded out to second baseman Madison McGregor.
Moorefield catcher Alyson Simmons grounded out to Clay-Battelle second baseman Madison Statler, then the Lady Yellow Jackets notched their first hit as Riggleman delivered a double into left field.
Markwood drew a full-count walk putting two runners aboard and Hinkle came through with an RBI single bouncing into left field for the initial 1-nil edge.
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Kassay threw a wild pitch which provided time for both Markwood and Hinkle to advance, but Carlson struck out looking on a full-count and the side came to a close on a rundown with Lady Cee Bees third baseman Alicia Keener and catcher Ronda Petrucci teaming up to deny Markwood from scoring.
Clay-Battelle’s Hannah Hall and Ammons struck out to begin the bottom of the third inning, but the at-bat life was extended as Burnette reached on what was credited as an error with Riggleman’s throw causing first baseman Vetter to stretch off the base making the save and swung the glove at Burnette’s leg just before the base and was deemed safe.
Kassay garnered an RBI double into center field to tie the title game at 1-all, then Markwood responded with a strikeout to Keener.
The Lady Yellow Jackets were off to a good beginning in the fourth inning as McGregor singled into left field and Humphries executed a bunt down the third base line beating the throw.
McGregor was thrown out on a steal attempt of third base with Keener crashing on top causing the helmet to be knocked off of McGregor.
Humphries advanced to third base on a passed ball and was tested diving back there on a pickoff attempt.
Kassay issued walks to Vetter and Zirk which loaded the bases for Moorefield, but no runs came across the plate as Simmons hit into a fielder’s choice throw by Keener to catcher Petrucci and Riggleman struck out.
Clay-Battelle went down in order on three groundouts as Petrucci and Statler hit to Riggleman and Weber’s ball was fielded by McGregor.
Moorefield were in the hole early in the fifth inning as Markwood grounded out to Kassay and Hinkle smacked a line drive which was tracked down by Burnette in left center field.
Carlson and McGregor waited patiently for walks before being stranded on a strikeout to Humphries.
Wilson singled into center field for the Lady Cee Bees in the bottom half of the frame with Hinkle collecting the ball quickly to prevent advancement.
Hall knocked the ball into a fielder’s choice play by McGregor for the first out and Clay-Battelle rebounded with an infield single by Ammons.
Clay-Battelle couldn’t create a run as Riggleman turned a double play as Hall was out at third base and Zirk fired back to second base for the next out.
In the top of the sixth inning, the Lady Yellow Jackets paved their path to Vienna.
After a strikeout to Vetter, Zirk doubled into left field with Makaleigh Snyder coming in as a courtesy runner and a confusion of comedy ensued.
Simmons placed a bunt down perfectly with the ball rolling to a stop just on the edge of the line and Lady Cee Bees catcher Petrucci picked it up and thought the play was over, but the umpire signaled a fair ball as a look of bewilderment came from Keener and Petrucci.
Simmons appeared puzzled rounding first base, motioning as to what she should do on this bunt and was given the green light to advance to second base with nobody covering there.
“They waited for it to go foul and it didn’t go foul. It stayed right there on that line. The line was good to us today,” Coach Ayers noted.
There was a timeout for an argument both on the field and just outside the fence by the dugout among fans about the call, but it stood.
Coach Ayers gave Snyder the signal to steal home giving Moorefield the lead, 2-1.
“She is an awesome young lady, a 110 percent team player. She’s ready and willing to do whatever I ask her to do. I am just so proud that she was there and could do that when we needed her to come through in the clutch,” Coach Ayers remarked.
Riggleman sliced a foul ball into the leg of Simmons in foul territory and she remained in the game.
“She took one off the thigh. We preach for them to stay in foul territory and she did. Being in foul territory, she wasn’t out. She’s such a hustler that I had complete confidence she was going to score, she slides well and runs well,” Ayers added.
The next attempt by Riggleman turned into an RBI sacrifice fly in left field with Simmons tagging up and sliding home to give the Lady Yellow Jackets a 3-1 advantage prior to Kassay ending the side on a strikeout to Markwood.
Moorefield was just six defensive outs from punching a ticket to the state tournament and the fans were buzzing with excitement.
Clay-Battelle couldn’t find any gaps as Kassey and Keener grounded out to McGregor and Petrucci sent one back to Markwood.
In the top of the seventh inning, Hinkle struck out and teammate Hanna Carlson lifted the Lady Yellow Jackets spirit with her first hit which was a double into left field.
McGregor planted a sacrifice bunt fielded by Kassay to advance Carlson, but she was left there on a flyout by Humphries.
It was another one, two, three inning to seal the championship fate as the Moorefield defense worked like a machine to finish it.
Lady Cee-Bees batter Madison Statler hit a pop-up to Vetter near the dugout, then Weber popped out to Markwood chasing it towards third base and the game ended on Wilson’s groundout fielded by McGregor.
Markwood tossed her face mask and glove and jumped into the arms of catcher Alyson Simmons as the Lady Yellow Jackets began the Region II Championship celebration.
After the teams went through the line shaking hands, Moorefield lifted the plaque high with pride and took a bunch of photos under the scoreboard.
Moorefield High School principal Patrick McGregor was in attendance to watch his daughter Madison play in the region championship and the team asked for him join them for a photo holding the plaque, then made a special request pleading for a pep club bus to travel to Vienna for support.
“Hey baby, bleed blue and gold. Bleed blue and gold always, always. We hope we go out there and represent our town and represent our county and our section of the state with honor,” Coach Ayers concluded.
The Lady Yellow Jackets will face Region I champion Wheeling Central Catholic or St. Marys in the opening round of the Class A state softball tournament in Vienna on Wednesday.
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