The Lady Vikings outlasted Moorefield in a low scoring late night battle lasting nine innings finishing in a 6-2 victory in the 13th annual Bub Riggleman Memorial Softball Tournament Championship on Saturday.
There were ten teams participating in the Bub Riggleman Memorial Softball Tournament hosted by the Lady Yellow Jackets including East Hardy, Pendleton County, Petersburg, Frankfort, Jefferson, Hedgesville, North Marion, South Harrison and Musselman.
“It is special to win this tournament. We enjoy coming here and anytime you have a chance to win this, it is special to you. Each team played their hearts out in the championship. To go nine innings, it could have gone either way and we did enough in the end to string stuff together to pull it out,” Petersburg Coach Dwayne Hedrick commented.
Moorefield defeated Hedgesville 14-4 in the semifinals and Petersburg edged Jefferson 6-3 to reach the championship.
Both teams huddled at their respective dugouts and prayed prior to the championship game.
Bub Riggleman was known for his passionate support of softball and the teams were chanting during the contests which brought a smile to Moorefield Coach Tammie Ayers.
It was a tough championship bout as both pitchers refused to let the other team gain much of an advantage as Moorefield pitcher Hanna Carlson allowed scattered hits with defensive assistance for outs and Petersburg pitcher Carly Cooper struck out 14 batters.
The chill in the air made it a bit tougher to grasp the ball during the warming up session, but the teams were ready to play.
Commencing the championship, Carlson collected the first groundout off the bat of Petersburg’s Katie Koontz with the throw to first baseman Alyssa Vetter.
Cooper singled into right field before Moorefield left fielder Remi Hinkle caught a foul ball under the scoreboard hit by Marissa Earle and the side was retired on a groundout fielded by second baseman Madison McGregor.
Moorefield leadoff batter Rebekah Markwood struck out to begin the bottom half of the inning, then McGregor singled past second baseman Marissa Earle and was stranded on two more Cooper strikeouts to Anna Riggleman and Carlson.
Petersburg’s Mackenzie Weasenforth began the second inning off with a single into center field, but was caught in a double play as Jenna Burgess hit a line drive to Carlson in the circle and the throw to Vetter completed the sequence with the Lady Vikings going down in order as Hayley Ours lazered a shot to Vetter.
The Lady Jackets fell behind in the count in the second inning with Cooper pitching a strikeout to Vetter, then Macie Zirk connected with a fly ball which was caught in right field.
Hinkle ripped a single past Weasenforth making two long strides toward the ball and missing it, then Cooper countered with a strikeout to Kennedy Hinger to get out of the inning.
Petersburg’s Hannah Smith hit a low line drive and it was caught on a diving play by Moorefield shortstop Rebekah Markwood and the Lady Jackets defense prevented a runner as McGregor collected a groundout and Makaleigh Snyder caught a fly ball.
After a strikeout to Alyson Simmons, Markwood singled past a diving attempt at third base into left field and was stranded on a pop-up bunt by McGregor and strikeout from Cooper to Riggleman.
Scoreless after three innings, something was about to happen to break the ice in the fourth inning.
Cooper reached on an error by McGregor and Earle singled into left field to put two runners on base for the Lady Vikings.
Petersburg’s Keri Vanmeter launched a fly ball into right field and it was dropped, but the throw to second base was in time for an out.
Weasenforth knocked the ball deep to the left field fence and a potential home run was robbed by Hinkle, but Petersburg scored on the play as the RBI sacrifice fly created a 1-nil edge before Burgess grounded out.
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Moorefield went down in order on a groundout by Carlson and two strikeouts to Vetter and Zirk.
In the fifth inning, Smith reached on an error with one out as Zirk’s throw went past Vetter at first base and an extra base was attained.
After groundout by Maddison Champ, Koontz notched an RBI single into right field to give the Lady Vikings a 2-0 edge.
Cooper followed with a single into left field, but Earle’s shot into left field was caught by Hinkle to squash another opportunity for a run.
The Lady Yellow Jackets started a rally as Hinger singled past the reach of Weasenforth with one out, before Cooper recorded another strikeout.
Moorefield’s Carmen Ketterman came in as a courtesy runner, then Markwood took a full-count walk.
McGregor smashed a two-run producing double to the left field fence to tie the game at 2-all.
Cooper made sure McGregor stayed put on base with a strikeout to Riggleman.
“Petersburg has a good program. Carly Cooper is an awesome pitcher, we struggle hitting her. It was good getting to the championship,” Moorefield Coach Tammie Ayers remarked.
“My Lady Jackets played some pretty good teams this year and we have more difficult teams show up at the Bub Riggleman Tournament. I am pleased that they battled against North Marion and Hedgesville, two strong programs to get to the championship. I am proud we fought to get to the championship.”
“We had some errors that may have cost us more than anything in the championship, just simple mistakes that shouldn’t have been made. Hanna Carlson has hit the ball very well this weekend and pitched very well. She has mastered hitting her spots. Bekah [Markwood] was the MVP last year and she is again this year and that is based solely on the coaches voting. There were three with one vote behind her. She plays all heart and is well deserving of it.”
After a groundout in the top of the sixth inning by Vanmeter on a defensive play by McGregor, Weasenforth popped the ball up in front of home plate and Moorefield catcher Alyson Simmons missed the ball which was still in fair territory and recovered in time to throw her out at first base.
Burgess and Bryanna Moreland garnered consecutive singles into left field and Ours returned into the line-up to run for Moreland, but Carlson finished the side with a strikeout to Smith.
Carlson popped out to Petersburg third baseman Keri Vanmeter, then Vetter drew a walk.
The Lady Vikings turned a double play as Zirk bunted into a pop-out and the throw got Vetter at first base.
McGregor lost the ball on a wicked hop, but recovered to throw out Champ in the top of the seventh inning.
Koontz made it to second base on an error as Zirk threw the ball over Vetter at first base, but Riggleman caught the next two fly balls by Cooper and Earle.
In the bottom of the seventh inning with the game still tied at two runs apiece, Cooper garnered a pair of strikeouts to Hinkle and Hinger.
Simmons hit a fly ball into center field and as several Lady Vikings converged, it was missed enabling a double.
Markwood followed with an infield single and McGregor was issued a full-count walk to load the bases for the Lady Jackets.
Moorefield was threatening to take the victory, but Cooper threw her last pitch for a strikeout to Riggleman, one of the best hitters on the team this year and forced extra innings.
Moorefield third base Tori Humphries got a piece of the ball on a hit by Weasenforth in the eighth inning and Markwood scooped it up with the throw not in time with one out.
Snyder caught a fly ball by Burgess and Ours hit a line drive to Carlson.
Due to an innings pitched regulation for the day, Cooper was required to stop and was replaced by Madison Whetzel in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Carlson grounded out to second base, then Whetzel struck out Vetter with a change of pitching speed and Humphries grounded out to first base to push the game into the ninth inning.
Petersburg got the ninth inning rolling on three consecutive singles to load the bases as Smith sent the ball up the middle, Karlee Vance hit into center field and Koontz knocked the ball to right field.
Cooper hit into a fielder’s choice and Markwood’s throw to Simmons at home plate wasn’t caught on a trap in the glove as Smith crashed in on a slide for the go-ahead run, 3-2.
Earle launched the ball to Riggleman in center field, but Riggleman turned a double play with the throw home to Simmons making the tag in front of the plate.
The Lady Vikings weren’t done trying to add to the lead as Vanmeter and Weasenforth recorded RBI singles into center field to go up 5-2.
Vetter replaced Carlson in the pitching circle, then Burgess notched an RBI single into left field which was nearly negated with the toss by Snyder before a collision causing a drop at home, 6-2.
Moorefield got out of further damage on a groundout fielded by Markwood.
Unfortunately, the Lady Yellow Jackets went down in order as Hinkle grounded out to Vanmeter, Hinger was out on a dropped third strike and Simmons flew out as Petersburg sealed the championship.
This was a redemption title for Petersburg, having lost last year in a matter of criteria without playing in the championship in a rain out.
Both teams honored Bub Riggleman in the spirit of sportsmanship posing for a group photo together.
Coaches voted for the All-Bub Riggleman Tournament Team members and the top pick by one vote for MVP was Moorefield’s Rebekah Markwood for a second consecutive year.
“It’s very special to reach the championship, because we have been working extremely hard. We’ve come a long ways, because we have young ones who can be a big help to the team especially Remi Hinkle who has been a big bat in our line-up. It is an honor that other people think of me as more than just a softball player, but a leader on and off the field,” Bub Riggleman MVP Rebekah Markwood stated.
Joining Markwood on the All-Tournament team was teammate Hanna Carlson, Petersburg’s Cooper and Burgess, East Hardy’s Skye Metzer, Hedgesville’s Forte, Parks and Payne, Musselman’s Ambrose, Jefferson’s Palmer, Pendleton County’s Townsend and Frankfort’s Dorsey.
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