The Lady Maroon Knights splashed through the mud throwing 23 strikeouts in the first round of the Class A state softball tournament, but couldn’t shake the pesky Lady Yellow Jackets forcing nine innings before notching the game-winning home run for a 5-3 final.
“That game was tough from beginning to end. I can’t say enough about both teams. They battled and I’m happy we came out on top,” Wheeling Central Catholic coach Buck Davidson remarked.
“It’s hard to get the lead twice just to give it up to be tied and finally came through. You can’t say enough about Riley and the way she pitched. They’re [Moorefield] not going to give up. You are going to have to play them seven to nine innings.”
A torrential downpour on Tuesday night inundated the three state softball tournament fields with water creating muddy conditions causing a delay of the opening round games.
The rain came so quickly, that there was no time to put the tarps on the fields.
After waiting for nearly two hours, the teams were allowed to come to the dugouts and the players danced to music as the ground crew continued to drain the outfield.
The Class A field was too wet to be played on, so Moorefield and Wheeling Central Catholic played on the Class AA field after those games were completed.
The Vienna Parks and Recreation Department and city personnel drained over 5,000 gallons of water from the fields.
When the Moorefield game was being played, the Class A field was cleared for action despite a muddy outfield and eventually both sessions were played with one game pushing just past midnight.
“Very good game, very well-played by both teams,” Moorefield coach Tammie Ayers noted.
“We had a couple of errors that cost us a couple runs. I really believe that’s what did it, because we had them beat about four times. We just fell short, but they know we are here.”
Moorefield sophomore pitcher Hanna Carlson tossed a complete game with six strikeouts on 104 pitches, while Wheeling Central Catholic senior pitcher Riley Bennington went all nine innings recording 23 strikeouts on 187 pitches in addition to hitting the game-winning two-run home run.
Carlson induced a groundout by Bennington to Moorefield junior shortstop Rebekah Markwood throwing to junior first baseman Alyssa Vetter to begin the opening round contest, then a pop-up by Jairika Baylor was just missed on a diving attempt by freshman catcher Alyson Simmons before striking out.
Wheeling Central Catholic’s Julia Padden singled on a blooper into left field and was stranded on a groundout by Olivia Carpenter.
Moorefield went down in order as Markwood struck out, freshman left fielder Remi Hinkle popped out to Bennington and Carlson struck out on a full-count to end the frame.
The Lady Maroon Knights failed to reach base in the second inning as Kaitlyn Ferns grounded out to Moorefield junior third baseman Macie Zirk, Allison Davidson flew out to freshman right fielder Tori Humphries and Marissa Garlitz grounded out to Markwood.
Moorefield sophomore Madison McGregor singled up the middle to begin the second inning and had to make a dive back to first base moments later on a pickoff attempt.
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Bennington countered with three consecutive strikeouts to Humphries, Vetter and Zirk.
Wheeling Central Catholic’s Emilee Ondrik popped out to Markwood in the third inning, then Maria Murphy bunted and was tagged out by Vetter before Carlson struck out Bennington.
Simmons struck out for the Lady Yellow Jackets and sophomore teammate Anna Riggleman drew a walk prior to being left aboard on strikeouts to Markwood and Hinkle.
There was still no score entering the fourth inning as the Lady Maroon Knights attempted to change things as Baylor singled and Padden executed a bunt making it safely on base, but Baylor was thrown out at third base.
Carpenter struck out and Ferns flew out to Humphries as Wheeling Central Catholic came up empty.
Bennington pitched a strikeout to Carlson and induced a groundout by McGregor, but the Lady Yellow Jackets responded with a double into left center field by Humphries.
Vetter’s shot into center field eluded Ferns allowing Humphries to score for a 1-nil edge.
Davidson reached base on an error as the ball was thrown past first base and Garlitz put down a bunt and the throw went over Vetter at first base.
Ondrik connected for an RBI sacrifice fly to tie the game and Murphy hit a hard grounder to Zirk, who made the saving stop on the single as the Lady Maroon Knights took a 2-1 lead.
In the sixth inning, Wheeling Central Catholic failed to generate a baserunner as Carpenter flew out to Moorefield center fielder Riggleman, Ferns flew out to shallow center field with the catch made by Markwood and Davidson grounded out.
After strikeouts to Hinkle and Carlson, McGregor launched Bennington’s 2-2 count pitch over the right field fence for a game-tying solo home run, 2-all.
Humphries followed with a single just over Padden and was left on base on a strikeout to Vetter.
In the seventh inning, Carlson bookended it with strikeouts surrounding a single by Ondrik and nothing else as Vetter caught a line drive.
Riggleman and Markwood singled with two outs, but wereleft aboard as the game went into extra innings.
Baylor singled to Markwood and beat the throw to begin the eighth inning for the Lady Maroon Knights, then Carlson caught a line drive by Padden and turned a double play throwing over to first baseman Vetter.
Carpenter drew a walk and Ferns singled into center field, then Wheeling Central Catholic took a 3-2 lead on Davidson’s RBI single into center field and advanced to second base on the throw home with Simmons sending the ball to second base a moment too late and a groundout ended the side.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Carlson struck out on a full-count before McGregor hopped on base on an error as Baylor threw past first base allowing advancement to second base.
Humphries notched an RBI single into center field for the Lady Yellow Jackets and took second base on the late throw home which was the game tying run at 3-all.
Bennington answered with strikeouts to Vetter and Zirk to end the frame.
Ondrik singled into right field for the Lady Maroon Knights to begin the ninth inning and Carlson countered with a strikeout.
Bennington launched the lead changing and eventual game winning two-run home run for a 5-3 Wheeling Central Catholic advantage.
“It was hard to just stay focused and keep calm, because of all that was going on. My teammates really supported me and felt good they had my back,” Wheeling Central Catholic’s Riley Bennington stated.
“I was so pumped hitting the home run. It’s senior year, we want to go out strong. They [MHS] were good, they made contact and they were disciplined. They knew what pitches to hit and which ones to lay off. I’ll give it to them, they are a good team.”
Simmons and Markwood caught two pop-ups to retire the side.
Moorefield freshman pinch hitter Gracie O’Neill and Riggleman both struck out before Markwood was given a full-count walk.
Hinkle doubled into center field, but there wasn’t enough time for Markwood to come home and Bennington finished the game with a strikeout to Carlson.
The Lady Yellow Jackets would bounce back from this defeat with victories over Fayetteville and Sherman staving off elimination to reach the state championship final against the Lady Maroon Knights.
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