3 days ago
University softball outlasts weather delay, late Jefferson surge for victory in opening game of state tournament
SOUTH CHARLESTON – The University High School softball team got its weekend off to a strong start on Friday at Little Creek Park with an 11-8 victory over Jefferson in the opening game of the Class AAAA state tournament.
Jefferson scored five of the final six runs in the game, but the Hawks built a lead that they saw through to the end.
Each team earned nine hits in the contest, but UHS took advantage of the weather conditions in the opening inning for five runs, three of which came on a walk or a wild pitch.
The Hawks will play Cabell Midland late Friday for a spot in Saturday's state championship. Cabell Midland defeated St. Albans, 6-1.
'I thought our girls came out ready to play today,' UHS head coach Mindy Parks said. 'I think the early lead stunned them (Jefferson) a little, and we were able to get their pitcher, who is very good. These girls wanted to come out and prove why they're the defending champions.'
The Hawks drew five walks in the first inning against Jefferson starter Rebecca Munslow. After the rain subsided, play continued with UHS facing two outs. Kelsey Park loaded the bases with an infield single before Maddie Campbell followed with another infield hit that caused a throwing error and cleared the bases, giving the Hawks eight runs in the first inning.
'The message was to keep fighting even though we had such a bad start,' Jefferson head coach Joe Rummel said. 'It's hard, especially when they knew that storm was coming. You could sit and wait, let it go all the way through, and then start up. They should've postponed it.'
The Cougars responded with two runs in the first inning and one in the third, cutting the UHS lead to five.
But UHS scored two more in the top of the fourth to stretch the lead back to seven runs as Campbell entered the circle to relieve Hawks' starter Sophia Lehosit.
Jefferson found three runs in the bottom of the sixth, but a home run over the left field fence by Bri Royce led off the seventh inning to give UHS its 11th run, giving her team some breathing room as they tried to close the game.
A brief weather delay, caused by rain and high winds, disrupted play in the bottom of the seventh inning, but the momentum quickly shifted once the teams returned to the field. The Cougars wasted no time making things interesting as Chloe Cowan ripped a two-run double to the gap in left-center, cutting into the deficit and putting the pressure squarely on UHS.
Cowan advanced to third on a wild pitch, and Rummel followed with a walk, bringing the tying run to the plate. But UHS pitcher Campbell rose to the occasion, striking out Munslow to seal the hard-fought win.
'At the end, they wanted to be out there,' said UHS coach Parks. 'They were like, 'Coach, put us back.' They said they were good and they wanted to finish that game. It was all about the confidence.'
Lehosit led the way offensively for UHS with three of the team's nine hits, and also struck out six over 3 2/3 innings in the circle. Campbell handled the final 3 1/3 innings, striking out five despite issuing six walks, and ultimately closed the door on the late comeback attempt.
University 11, Jefferson 8
UHS 800 200 1 – 11 9 1
JHS 201 003 2 – 8 9 3
University (1-0) – Park 5120 Campbell 4111 Lehosit 5031 Masoner 3000 Elza 3200 Cox 3112 Brown 3111 Shaver 3001 Royce 3211.
2B: Lehosit. HR: Royce
Jefferson (0-1) – Cowan 4332 Rummel 3112 Munslow 4022 Allen 3011 Dodson 3000 Smith 3101 Abe 2210 Phillips 4110 Hozhabri 1000 Ruffner 3000.
2B: Cowan
(W) Lehosit 3.2ip 4h 3r 3bb 6k. (L) Rummel 3.1ip 4h 1r 0bb 1k
