In the first game of the day of the Magnolia Invitational Softball Tournament, the Valley Lumberjills batted around in the top of the seventh, scoring six runs to lift them to a 11-5 victory over the Williamstown Lady Yellowjackets at Bruce Park Saturday April 4.

With one out in the bottom of the first and a runner on base, the ‘Jackets number three hitter lobbed a ball over Valley’s left fielder’s head to drive in the first run of the game. She later scored the third frame.

Lumberjill T.J. Basset walked, stole two bases and scored on a Ashley Staley ground out. Aly Midcap walked and later scored to knot the game at two.

In the bottom of the third, Williamstown got another run for a 3-2 lead. Neither team was able to muster any offense in the fourth. However, in the top of the fifth, Aly Weber doubled and later scored to tie the game at three after five innings of play.

In the top of the sixth, Basset walked and Meghan Midcap singled. Basset was chased home on a Staley single and Midcap followed suit on a fielder’s choice to give Valley a 5-3 lead in the sixth inning.

Williamstown got a run in the bottom of the sixth to narrow the gap to 5-4. But, Valley would put the game away for good going into the bottom of the seventh, where they scored one run for an 11-5 win.

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The Magnolia Blue Eagles scored 11 runs on seven hits in the opening frame of the Invitational against the Williamstown. Later, the Lady Eagles tallied three more in the second and one in the third to knock off the Lady Yellowjackets 15-0.

Alexa Jo Hanna struck out four batters and faced the minimum in a three-inning mercy-rule shortened game. Abby Horner led the Eagle offense with a double and a triple, while plating three runs.

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The Bellaire St. John Lady Fighting Irish won 6-0 over Valley on a 13 strike-out performance.

The ‘Jills were held to a Hannah Shaw single and an Aly Weber triple. Valley hurler Aly Midcap took the loss from the mound, striking out seven.

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In the last game of the night, Ritchie County scored two runs in the top of the ninth for a 3-1 victory over the Magnolia Lady Eagles.

In the first three innings of the game neither team could muster any offense as both pitchers brought their A-game, retiring a combined 18 batters in order to start the game.

In the top of the fourth, the Lady Rebels scored a run on three singles. Magnolia countered with a run in the bottom of the fourth as Brittany Batton doubled home Abby Horner.

The Eagles threatened in the bottom of the fifth, but was enticed into a pair of ground outs to end the threat. In the ninth, the Rebels scored two runs and the Eagles went down in order to end the game 3-1.

Tori Tharp went the distance for the Eagles, striking out 11. Batton singled and doubled , while plating the Eagles’ only run. Lyn Miller singled twice.

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Other scores from the tournament were: John Marshall 4, Parkersburg Big Red 2; John Marshal l 1, Steubenville Central 0; Parkersburg 5, Ritchie County 3; and Steubenville Central 3, Bellaire St John. 0;

The tourney was rain-shortened, taking away a day on the front end for championship playoffs on the back end. However, the unofficial champions of the tournament were the John Marshall Lady Monarchs, as they were the only team to win both of their games.