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W.Va. softball crowns champions

Hurricane, Herbert Hoover, Central repeat

Photo by Jordan Holland Hurricane celebrates Lindsey Phares’ two-run home run in the third inning of Thursday’s Class AAA state tournament game against John Marshall at Jackson Park in Vienna. Hurricane won, 8-0.

VIENNA — Different year, same results.

Hurricane, Herbert Hoover and Wheeling Central all defended their state championships in the state softball tournament Thursday at Jackson Park.

The Redskins won their fourth straight triple-A title, the Huskies three-peated in double-A and the Maroon Knights grabbed their second Class A crown in a row.

CLASS AAA: The four-peat is complete for Hurricane High School.

First-year head coach Meghan Stevens watched her Redskins finish the campaign at 25-3 as Hurricane needed just five innings to mercy John Marshall, 8-0, in the Class AAA title game.

Sophomore right-hander Harlie Vannatter pitched a three-hit shutout. She had one walk, four strikeouts and allowed two singles to Carli Lightner and one to Maddy Mayle.

Losing pitcher Lauren Garcia was pulled after Hurricane put together a four-run bottom of the third. Florida State recruit Kiersten Landers, who went 2 for 3, got it started with a triple she pulled down the right-field line. Landers crossed on a bunt single by Jayme Bailey, who scored on Taylor McCray’s RBI two-bagger. Lindsey Phares later added a two-run homer to left-center.

Lightner allowed four runs in the fourth as JMHS concluded its campaign at 31-3. The Monarch hit Lauren Parsons to start the fourth. Following a double by Landers, pinch-runner Reagan Schultz moved to third. After Bailey drew a free pass to load the bases, Kanawha Valley Player of the Year Caiti Mathes launched a grand slam bomb to left.

Garcia fanned seven in a complete game shutout as the Monarchs eliminated George Washington (22-7), 4-0, in the first game of the day. Garcia, Abby Blake and Mayle drove in one run apiece.

CLASS AA: After a thrilling 1-0 victory over Chapmanville late Wednesday night, Herbert Hoover made sure Thursday’s game wasn’t as nail-biting.

The Huskies jumped all over Tigers starter Kenzie McCann for three runs in the first and added six in the second to go up 9-0 early en route to a 12-0, five-inning victory. The win completed a perfect 33-0 season for Herbert Hoover.

Delani Buckner allowed one run on five hits in five innings pitched. She walked one and struck out five. At the plate, Buckner was 2 for 3 with two runs-batted-in.

Hoover also got three hits, a double and two runs-batted-in from Presley McGee while Rebekah Woody, Mallori Chapman, Kirsten Belcher and Taylor Carpenter all drove in runs.

Chapmanville, which finished the season 23-5, got two hits, a double and an RBI from Jada Freeman while Kara Browning also doubled.

Hoover tallied nine hits and committed one error while the Tigers had four miscues in the field.

Tabitha Adkins and Charlee Mullins combined to pitch three innings of relief for Chapmanville.

CLASS A: Riley Bennington used her arm and her bat to help lift Wheeling Central to a 12-0, five-inning triumph against Moorefield in the single-A final.

Bennington pitched all five innings for the Maroon Knight, fanning eight and allowing just three walks and three singles.

Her solo home run in the top of the first got the scoring started for Central. Ally Davidson followed with a two-run single before Maria Murphy’s RBI base knock made it 4-0.

Moorefield had two of its hits in the top of the second, but Bennington got out of it unscathed.

Central added two runs in the bottom of the second to make it 6-0 nothing before putting up a six-spot in the fourth. Abby Davidson had a pinch-hit two-run single before Murphy smacked a three-run bomb to left field to make it 12-0.

Bennington pitched a 1-2-3 fifth, capped by a strikeout, to end the season on a high note for the Knights.

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