Lady ‘Cats Succumb In Sectional Championship

The Paden City Lady Wildcats entered the Region I, Section Il tournament with a 4-0 victory over the Valley Lumberjills and went on to face the Cameron Dragons, who just won their first-ever OVAC Class A Championships.
The Dragons came into the sectionals riding the arm of their freshman hurler, while the ‘Cats were riding the arm of senior hurler Kim Davis, who had just struck out 16 batters against Valley in the sectional openers.
The two hurlers kept each other in check the first couple innings in the May 8 championship bout in Cameron until the bottom of the third, as the hosts tallied an unearned run.
The Dragons loaded the bases with one out, but had a runner thrown out at the plate on a fielder’s choice. A few moments later, the Dragons crossed the home plate, but the ‘Cats gunned down another Cameron runner at the plate – their second of four on the night – to keep the Wildcats within striking distance.
Cameron tallied two more runs in the fourth frame with a two-run single. The Lady Dragons then added an insurance run in the sixth on a run-scoring triple.
The Cameron hurler struck out 16 Lady Wildcats in the opener and only gave up a single, to Bethany Arnett, in the fourth and a triple to Amber Palmer in the sixth.
Davis took the loss from the mound and sat down nine Dragons on strikes, while allowing six hits.
The ‘Cats brought in the big boys for this contest. PCHS Principal Warren Grace coached first and warmed up the pitcher between innings. Nice job, Mr. Grace!
*****
In the nightcap, it was all Cameron as they touched the home plate four times in the first and tallied five more in the next three frames before getting the deciding tenth run in the bottom half of the sixth for the 10-run mercy-rule shortened game.
Cameron pitcher Tara Paczewski struck out eight and gave up a single to Vicki Yurisko. Davis struck out three and, to her credit, threw a nice game, even though she was stung with a bee earlier in the game.
The Wildcats, like the ‘Jills, will lose some nice seniors to graduation this fall in Yurisko, Davis, Angelica Phillips and Lea Ann Butcher, but will have a good portion of the team back next season.
The Valley Lumberjills closed their softball season with Region I Section II losses to Paden City and Cameron, May 5 and May 7 at Cameron.
In the game against the Lady ‘Cats, it was too much from PC hurler Kim Davis, who kept the ‘Jill batters at bay by striking out 16 and limiting them to a pair of hits and while walking two.
Paden City’s Vicki Yurisko drilled a single and a double, while Davis pitched in with an RBI in steady rain to help propel the ‘Cats into the championship game against Cameron.
The ‘Jills were without ace hurler Aly Midcap – who was out with a cold – but senior first baseman Aly Weber took over at the rubber for only the second time in her four-year career. Despite the loss, Weber did an outstanding job, giving up only six hit.
However, Davis, who has been on the mound all season, was on her game and sat the ‘Jill batters down 16 times on strike outs, while limiting them to only two hits.
In the second game of the sectionals, the ‘Jills and Dragons started the game May 5 and didn’t get it done until May 7 because of the weather.
The Lumberjills scored a pair of runs without a hit in the top of the first on May 5, taking full advantage of three Cameron miscues. But, thanks to a pair of ‘Jill goofs, a Cameron RBI single and a run-scoring double, the Dragons were breathing fire with a 3-2 lead. However, the rains kept coming and the game was suspended for two days.
When play resumed 48 hours later, Cameron would turn seven hits into six runs to break open a close game to win 12-2 and a date with Paden City for the sectional championship, May 9.
A Hannah Shaw infield single was all the Lady ‘Jills could muster against Dragon hurler Tara Paczewski, who tossed a one-hitter and struck out eight to gain the nod from the mound.
The ‘Jills’ Midcap did return for the finale to strike out one and issuing no passes.
Valley Head Coach Gary Partridge will lose seniors T. J. Bassett, Megan Midcap, Aly Midcap, Hannah Shaw and Aly Weber to graduation, leaving the ‘Jills some hard work over the off-season to reload for next year.
Hundred Hornets
The Hundred Lady Hornets finished their regular season May 2, splitting a double hitter against Jefferson County Christian with a 5-4 win in the first matchup. Junior hurler Jordyn Gorby struck out 14 Jefferson batters and walked two to gain the nod from the mound.
Hundred was the recipient of nine Jefferson walks and took full advantage of each one of them. They added six stolen bases, two sacrifice flies and scored three of their five runs via walks. The only Hundred hit came off the bat of Mindy Lemley.
In the nightcap, Gorby was just as effective. She struck out 13 batters without a walk and scattered three hits, but it wasn’t strong enough to save Hundred from a 9-5 defeat in eight innings.
With Gorby out of WVSSAC-allowable innings, the Hornets had to go to Macy Woods, who walked four, struck out one, gave up one hit and four runs to take the loss from the mound.
Hundred had seven hits. Woods and Haley Hayes each had two singles, while Gorby, Lemley and Mercedez Goff each added one hit apiece.
In the sectionals against Trinity May 7 at Mylan Park in Morgantown, the Hornets out hit their opponents 6-4, but lost 4-1.
Gorby was back on the rubber for Hundred and struck out six, but walked seven to take the loss.
Hayes led the way offensively for the Lady Hornets with a pair of singles, while Raven McDiffitt, Lemley, Gorby and Woods all chipped in with base hits.
On May 8, the Lady Hornets had to beat Trinity twice to move on. Again, Hundred out hit Trinity 14-8, but miscues on the field caused the Hornets to lose, 6-4.
Gorby was on the mound, striking out six batters and walking none in taking the loss from the hill. She helped herself out at the dish with a double and two singles, while knocking in three runs to lead the way, offensively.
McDiffitt, Lemley, Chelsea Kuhn, Lindsay Burley and Jodanna Simpson each provided two hits, while Hayes, Goff and Woods each smacked singles.
The Hornets only lose Kuhn and Simpson to graduation and there are high expectations for the girls from Hundred next season.