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Hurricane, Herbert Hoover, Central in driver’s seat going into state softball finals

Weather takes charge in day one

John Marshall High School's teammates, from left, Abby Blake, Carli Lightner, Madison Mayle, Lauren Garcia and Hannah Morris celebrate following a strikeout late in the game against George Washington High School Wednesday in the opening round of the West Virginia Class AAA State Tournament in Vienna. Photo by Jeff Baughan.

PARKERSBURG — Rainy weather caused very few delays during the opening day of the West Virginia High School Softball state tournament Wednesday morning and afternoon at Jackson Park in Vienna.

In fact, the morning session went by without a hitch before rainy weather caused brief delays toward the tail ends of the Class AA and Class AAA loser’s bracket games.

Speaking of the largest class in the Mountain State, two-time defending state champion Hurricane romped its way through Washington and John Marshall to earn a chance to play for a three-peat this afternoon.

The Redskins compiled an awe-inspiring 25 runs on 31 hits in just eight innings played in two double-digit victories. Josh Caldwell’s team finished a solo home run short of hitting for the cycle in an opening round 13-2 five-inning win over Washington.

Jayme Bailey and Paige Scruggs each hit their bombs in the first inning. Bailey brought home herself and another teammate, while Scruggs plated two teammates along with herself. Katie Adams added a grand slam in a six-run third inning to put the game firmly in the Hurricane’s hands.

Hurricane high school’s Katie Adams swings and then watch’s her grand slam homer against Washington during the Class AAA State Tournament Wednesday in Vienna. Photo by Jeff Baughan.

George Washington, the fourth and final team in the field, lost to John Marshall in the opening game and Washington in the loser’s bracket final. After those two loses, the Patriots were eliminated from the championship field.

Washington and John Marshall meet at 10 a.m. this morning to advance to face Hurricane. There exists but a razor-thin margin of error for the Patriots and Monarchs. One loss sends the Redskins to their third title in as many years.

Chapmanville’s road to a second straight Class AA title became harder after the Tigers dropped a 2-0 decision to Herbert Hoover in the opening round of the tournament. Though they went on to defeat Wyoming East in the loser’s bracket final, 6-3, one loss for head coach Ronnie Ooten’s squad in their next two games ends the season.

The Tigers take on Oak Glen, which dropped a 16-1 decision to Herbert Hoover in the winner’s half of the bracket, at 9:45 a.m. this morning with the winner having to beat the Huskies twice to claim Class AA surpemacy.

Wyoming East was two games and out in their first championship appearance in 17 years, but it wasn’t for lack of effort.

The Warriors dropped a tough 3-2 opening-round game to Oak Glen in a battle of possible first-team all-state pitchers. Wyoming East’s Holly Brehm and the Golden Bears’ Hannah Clunk both went the distance in the one-run affair.

Brehm gave up six hits and three earned runs but struck out 12 over six innings of work, while Clunk tossed seven-innings with no earned runs, two walks, and eight punchouts.

East hurt itself with three errors to just one for Oak Glen.

Like Hurricane, Wheeling Central has to fall twice tomorrow for any team to end the Class A school’s stay at the top. Rick Magruder’s Maroon Knights had mixed results on offense through two games.

Central bats connected for nine hits and 10 runs during an five-inning mercy-rule win over Fayetteville in the opening round, but managed half as many runs on one more hit against Sherman in a 5-4 win in the winner’s bracket.

Strikeouts also were plentiful between the Tide and Knights. Central starting pitcher Marissa Garlitz and Sherman’s Autumn Thompson combined for 18 Ks.

The Knights await the winner of Sherman and Moorefield in the championship round tomorrow.

SHS conquered the Yellowjackets’ 2-1 in the morning session to send them to the lower bracket. Moorfield then eliminated Fayetteville with an 8-2 win.


W.Va. State Tournament

Class AAA

Winner’s Bracket Game

Hurricane 12, John Marshall 1

John Marshall 000 10 — 1 4 0

Hurricane 416 1x — 12 14 0

J — Garcia lp (2SO, 2W), Lightner (3) (1SO, 0W) and Mayle. Schultz 2B; Mayle S, rbi.

H — Vannatter wp (7SO, 0W) and Adams. Landers 2S; Bailey 2S, rbi; Mathes 2S, 3rbi; Scruggs S, D; McCray 2S, 2rbi; Dunlap S, rbi; Phares S, rbi.


Loser’s Bracket Game

Washington 5, George Washington 2

First Round

Hurricane 13, Washington 2 (5 inn.)

Washington 000 11 — 2 5 0

Hurricane 516 1x — 13 17 3

WP: Harlie Vannatter, 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 SO

Tori Green, 2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO

LP: Taylor Cenate, 2.2 IP, 15 H, 12 R, 12 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO

Jordan Brown, 1.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO

Hurricane hitting: Kiersten Landers 4-4, double; Jayme Bailey 2-4, HR, 3 RBIs; Katie Adams 2-2, HR, 5 RBIs; Cait Mathes 2-3, RBI; Paige Scruggs 2-4, HR, 3 RBIs; Green 2-3; Taylor McCray 1-3; Zoey Dunlap 1-3, RBI; Lindsey Phares 1-3

Washington hitting: Madison Carlisle 1-3; Brown 1-2; Caitlyn Myers 1-2; Madison Cenate RBI


John Marshall 3, George Washington 1

G. Washington 100 000 0 – 1 4 0

John Marshall 101 010 x – 3 8 0

G – Lightner (4SO, 3W), Garcia (4) (7SO, 0W) and Mayle. An. Blake S, T; Garcia 2S, 2rbi; Schultz D, rbi.

J – McCown lp (8SO, 2W) and Bell. Smith D; Groe S, rbi.


Class AA

Winner’s Bracket Game

Herbert Hoover 16, Oak Glen 1

Oak Glen (23-9-1) 100 00 – 1 5 2

H. Hoover (26-5) 201 (13)x — 16 14 0

Oak Glen hitting: Hanna Patterson 3-3, run scored

Herbert Hoover hitting: Rebekah Woody 3-4, double, RBI; Megan Seafler 2-3; Kelsey Naylor 1-3, double, 2 RBI; Dellani Fix 1-3, double, 2 RBI; Madison Bowles 2-3; Mallori Chapman 2-2, double, 3 RBI; Taylor Carpenter 1-2, triple, 2 RBI

Next game: Oak Glen takes on Chapmanville at 9:45 a.m.


Loser’s Bracket Game

Chapmanville 6, Wyoming East 3

Wyoming East 000 002 1 — 3 7 0

Chapmanville 120 003 x — 6 7 1

WP: Kenzie McCann 7 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 7 SO

LP: Holly Brehm 6 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 10 BB, 10 SO

Wyoming East hitting: Holly Brehm 2-3, Katie Griffith 3-4, 2 RBI, Autumn Miller 2-4

Chapmanville hitting: Kenzie McCann 2-3, Hollie Carter 1-1, triple, RBI, Lexi Hines 3-4, 3 RBI


First Round

Herbert Hoover 2, Chapmanville 0

HHS 001 000 1 — 2 10 0

CHS 000 000 0 — 0 2 1

WP: Dellani Fix 7IP, 2H, BB, 13SO

LP: Kenzie McCann 7IP, 10H, 2R, ER, 5SO

Herbert Hoover leading hitters: Rebekah Woody 3-4, RBI; Madison Bowles 2-3; Mallori Chapman 2-3; Taylor Carpenter 2-3, 2R; Kelsey Naylor RBI

Chapmanville leading hitters: Kenzie McCann 1-3, Karah Little 1-3


Oak Glen 3, Wyoming East 2

WE 000 110 0 – 2 7 1

OG 000 120 x – 3 6 3

WP: Hannah Clunk 7 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 8 SO

LP: Holly Brehm 6 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 12 SO

Wyoming East hitting: Holly Brehm 2-2, Rivers Wade 2-3, RBI, Autumn Miller 2B

Oak Glen hitting: Hanna Patterson 2-3; Clunk 1-2, 2B, 2 RBI; Hannah Walker 1-2, sacrifice bunt, RBI


Class A

Winner’s Bracket Game

Wheeling Central 5, Sherman 4

WCHS 000 013 1 — 5 10 1

SHS 002 000 2 — 4 5 3

W — Garlitz wp (10SO, 5W) and Mozingo. Ferns 2S, rbi; Carpenter 2S, 2rbi; Ondrik 3S; Murphy S, rbi.

S — Thompson lp (8SO, 0W) and Ferrell. Clendenin S, rbi; Jenkins S, rbi; Seagraves S, rbi.


Loser’s Bracket Game

Moorefield 8, Fayetteville 2

FHS 100 001 0 — 2 6 6

MHS 124 100 x — 8 5 1

WP: Rebekah Markwood 7IP, 6H, 2R, ER, 3SO

LP: Ashley Fridley 6IP, 5H, 8R, BB, 3SO

Fayetteville leading hitters: Carrie Taylor 2-3, R; Ashley Fridley 1-3, R; Faith Norris 1-3

Moorefield hitters: Rebekah Markwood 1-4, 2R; Emma Baker 2-4, R; Bethany Smith 2-3, R


First Round

Wheeling Central 10, Fayetteville 2

FHS 200 00 — 2 1 6

WCHS 320 5x — 10 9 1

WP: Garlitz CG, 3BB, 7SO

LP: Fridley CG, BB, 5SO

Wheeling Park leading hitters: Bennington SB, RBI; Kaitlyn Ferns 3-R HR (4th), 5RBI; Garlitz RBI; Olivia Carpenter SB; Abigail Davidson SB, RBI; Maria Murphy SB, RBI


Sherman 2, Moorefield 1

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