Haley Hayes

Hundred 12,

Notre Dame 5

Jordyn Gorby struck out 13 batters and smacked a single and a double to lead the Hundred Hornets to a 12-5 victory over Notre Dame April 15. It was the Lady Hornets’ fifth victory of the season.

The Lady Irish scored the game’s first run in the first, but the Hornets stung Notre Dame for a dozen runs in their next four at bats to claim the nod.

Lindsay Burley backed Gorby at the plate with only a home run shy of hitting for the cycle. She also knocked in two runs. Raven McDiffitt lined three singles, while Rachel Ashcraft, Macy Woods and Emily Ebbert each added RBI singles.

Raven McDiffitt

The Lady Hornets will try to better their record in the Clay-Battelle Softball Tournament April 23-24.

Magnolia 12,

River 1

The Eagles’ Abbey Horner drilled a game-ending grand slam home run in the bottom of the fifth frame to beat the River Pilots 12-1 in a mercy-rule shortened contest April 13 in New Martinsville.

Horner was the hitting star for the Eagles – with only a triple away from hitting for the cycle – with a home run, double added two singles. She also knocked home four runs, while Alexajo Hanna tossed a five-hitter, sitting down eight and walked one.

Abbey Horner and Emily Blake

The Eagles tallied four runs in the bottom of the first, added a pair of runs in the second and added three more in the third before Horner drilled her game-ending grand slam homer.

River tallied a run in the second with the help of a pair of Blue Eagle miscues. But, the Lady Pilots were turned away from making any noise on some nice contact hitting, right at an Eagle defensive player.

Hanna hit a pair of singles and plated a run, while Tori Tharp and Emily Blake each added a pair of hits and knocked in a run. Jordan Babe drilled a double and a single to lead the Eagle offense. Anna Rufener took the loss from the mound for the Pilots. She didn’t strike out a batter but walked five.

The Lady Hornets dropped to 4-4 on the season as the Clay-Battelle Cee-Bees beat them 12-1 in a mercy-rule shortened game in Blacksville April 13.

With the score knotted for three frames, the Cee-Bees scored 11 runs in the next three innings to gain the nod. Senior Rachel Ashcraft was 2-2 in the game with a single and a double, while Jordyn Gorby and Katie Tennant each singled for the Lady Hornets.

Tori Tharp

Taylor Ashcraft scored the only run for Hundred, while Raven McDiffitt added the only stolen base. “We have been in an offensive and defensive slump of late, but I have all the confidence in this group of girls that they will bounce back,” said Hornet Head Coach Bryan Bartlett.

*****

Hanna hit a pair of singles and plated a run, while Tori Tharp and Emily Blake each added a pair of hits and knocked in a run. Jordan Babe drilled a double and a single to lead the Eagle offense. Anna Rufener took the loss from the mound for the Pilots. She didn’t strike out a batter but walked five.

Magnolia’s Alexajo Hanna scattered four hits in game one and Tori Tharp twirled a two-hitter in game two against regional foe Point Pleasant in a double-header sweep April 17 in New Martinsville. The Lady Eagles prevailed by the scores of 4-0 and 10-1.

In the opener, Hanna was on her game from the mound and struck out five while scattering four hits in a 4-0 shutout. Marissa Bosley had a single and a double from the plate, while Andrea Lockhart added a pair of singles and Abbey Horner drilled a two-run double to lead the Eagles in the opener.

Ashley Staley

In the second game, Tharp tossed a two-hit gem, striking out 10 and walking one to garner the win from the rubber.

Tharp helped her own cause from the plate with three singles, while Horner and Lockhart each added multi hits. Jordan Babe chipped in with a double.

The Eagles will host Tyler Consolidated tonight at 5 p.m.

Tori Tharp twirled her second no-hitter of the season, striking out 12 in a 2-0 victory over Bellaire St. John April 15 in Bellaire.

The Eagles scored two runs in the first frame and had only three hits in all, led by an RBI single by Tharp and a double by Marissa Bosley.

*****

Alexajo Hanna limited the Silver Knights of Tyler Consolidated to a pair of runs on three hits, while striking out 10 batters and walking three en route to a 3-2 victory April 5 at Kidwell.

The Eagles’ Tori Tharp came in relief of Hanna in the seventh and struck out the side to gain the save from the hill. Emily Moore started for the Lady Knights and struck out one, while issuing five passes.

Heather Suter came in relief of Moore to take the the loss. She struck out two and walked one. Suter and Moore combined on a four hitter.

Dallas Mullett doubled to lead the Blue Eagle offense. Emily Blake added a two-run double, while Abbey Horner knocked in a run on a single.

St. Clairsville tallied a run in the bottom of the seventh and scored another run in extra innings to come from behind to knock off Magnolia, 2-1, in St. Clairsville April 14.

Tori Tharp was the hard-luck losing pitcher for Magnolia. She limited the Devils to five hits in eight frames and struck out 13, while walking one. Andrea Lockhart had a pair of singles for Magnolia, while Abbey Horner scored the Eagles’ only run of the game.

The Paden City Ladycats scored five runs in the top of the seventh and held on for a 10-8 victory over the Lady Pilots April 7 at Sardis.

The Lady Pilots scored eight runs in the first three innings to take a commanding lead with the help of multi hits by Renae Riley, Chelsea Wax and Victoria Brandon.

However, the Lady ‘Cats started to nip at the Pilot lead with a run in the fourth, two in each of the next two innings before exploding for five in the seventh to gain the come-from-behind nod.

Bethany Arnett tripled to start the fourth and came home on a single by Stephanie West. Katie Kline singled and the ‘Cats stranded two to start the amazing comeback.

Amanda Tallman walked and was put away at second on a fielder’s choice. Amber Palmer walked and Arnett singled. Palmer and Kelsey Loub would later score on a a single by Courtney Conaway.

In the sixth, West singled, but was erased on the base path by the Pilots’ infield. Kline singled and Ashley Efaw reached on a Pilot error. After a fly out, Loub singled in a run, while Palmer knocked in the last run of the inning with a single.

Still down 8-5, the Never-Say-Die ‘Cats tallied five runs on four hits and one costly error and stole five bases. West doubled in Conaway, who singled to start the seventh. Kline reached on a Pilot error and Efaw walked. After a double steal by Kline and Efaw, Tallman plated a run, while knocking in a run on a fielder’s choice. Palmer doubled to score the last ‘Cat run.

The Pilots threatened in the bottom half of the seventh when Lexy Wells doubled to start the frame and Anna Rufener walked. They both moved into scoring position on a pass ball. After a pop out, Tanya Altizer hit into a game-ending double play 6-3-2.

“I’m very proud of our team,” said Paden City Head Coach Penny Baker. “They never gave up and left everything they had on the field, and that’s how you win games.”

Wax paced the Pilots with a double and two singles and added an RBI. Both Riley and Brandon singled and doubled for the Lady Pilots, while Wells singled.

The Wildcats had five players with multiple hits. Palmer had a double and two singles; Arnett singled and tripled; Conaway and Kline each singled twice. Tallman had an RBI single, while Loub singled and knocked in three runs.

Palmer picked up the win from the mound. She had six strike outs and walked eight, while Riley had seven strike outs and walked three batters in taking the loss for the Pilots.

It took 10 innings, but the Paden City Wildcats came from behind to win, for the second straight time, the River Pilots, 22-21 in a slugfest at Paden City Park April 14.

The Pilots jumped on Wildcat pitcher Amber Palmer in the top of the first for a pair of runs. However, The ‘Cats matched that plus two off the bat of Courtney Conaway to gain a 4-2 lead after one period of play.

However, the never-say-die Lady Pilots put up an eight spot in the top of second to grab a 10-4 advantage. Paden City, however, trimmed that advantage to three in the bottom half of the frame.

Both the Pilots and Cats had solo runs in the third, but the Pilots added single runs in the fourth and fifth innings to extend their advantage to 13-8 heading into the fifth frame.

Paden City took the lead back when they scored 10 more runs in the fifth and sixth innings for a 18-13 lead.

River went to work and scored five runs in the seventh to send the contest into extra innings. However, both teams scored three runs in the eighth to push the game into a ninth frame. Neither team could muster a run, but the Wildcats tallied a run in the bottom of the tenth to gain the nod. Stephanie West walked and stole second and slid home under a high throw on a single by Katie Kline.

Palmer got the win from the mound. She struck out seven, but walked 11, while the Pilots’ Renae Riley took the loss. She struck out two and walked one.

Conaway’s hot bat drilled two singles, a double and a triple, while plating five runs for Paden City. Stephanie West added a single, double and triple, while Bethany Arnett drilled three doubles and knocked in a run to lead the way offensively for Paden City.

Leading the way offensively for the Lady Pilots was Victoria Brandon with a double and a pair of triples. She also plated five base runners. Brianna Cook had a good game from the plate. She belted a pair of singles and blasted a double, while Courtney Gates knocked home four runs with a single and a double.

The Big Red Machine tattooed 15 hits and Renae Riley scattered 10 Silver Knight hits in beating Tyler Consolidated 11-5 April 9 in Kidwell.

The Lady Pilots took a 5-1 lead into the fifth inning and added six more in the last three frames to gain the nod. Chelsea Wax had a double and a pair of singles to lead the way offensively, while Tanya Altizer, Courtney Gates and Brianna Cook each singled twice, while knocking in a run each.

Kari Suter took the loss from the mound for the Knights. She struck out three in four and two-thirds innings, while Emily Moore tossed the final inning and one- third innings. Sammie Jones and Christy Jones each had three singles, while Christy added a double and a RBI.

Brittany Guthrie and Ashley Staley each smacked a home run, while Morgan Starkey drilled a single and a double to help lead the Lumberjills to a 16-6 victory in the second game of a double-header sweep against Jefferson County Christian April 17 in Pine Grove.

In the opener, Guthrie and Staley each smacked an RBI single, while Holli Schell picked up the ‘W’ from the mound with a nine strike out, four-hit performance to lead the ‘Jills to a 15-5 win. Kayla Cecil and Taylor Highley each chipped in with an RBI single, while Brooke Staley added a two RBI single.

In the second game, the herorics of Ashley Staley included a home run and a double, while Guthrie’s round tripper brought home three runs to lead a 14-hit Lumberjill attack. Cecil picked up the win from the rubber, striking out five and helping herself out at the plate with a two-RBI triple. Starkey had three hits, including an RBI double, while Heidi Shaw added a single and a two-RBI double.

The ‘Jills will host their final regular season home game against Notre Dame on April 26 at 5 p.m

The Lady Pilots tallied 36 runs on 29 hits in winning a double header over the Valley Lumberjills, 22-2 and 14-3 April 10 in Sardis.

River pitcher Renae Riley was on her game, tossing a two-hitter in the mercy-rule shortened game, striking out four, while driving in thee runs from the plate to lead the way both offensively and defensively.

Lexy Wells, Courtney Gates and Chelsea Wax each drove home three runs. Wells had a single and a double; Gates added a double and two singles; and Wax belted a double and a triple. Rachal Beisel had a pair of singles and knocked in a run, while Tanya “Tucker” Altizer had a career game with four singles and a triple. She also plated a game-high four RBIs.

The ‘Jills’ two hits came off the bats of Holli Schell and Ashley Staley. Schell took the loss from the mound. She struck out one, and walked 10.

In the night cap, Victoria Brandon knocked in five runs on a pair of doubles for River, while Gates brought home two runs with a single and a double. Wells also singled and doubled, while Lindsay Goddard chipped in with a pair of singles.

Anna Rufener got the win from the hill, striking out four batters and walking two in the 14-3 victory. Wells and Rachal Hutchinson both saw time on the mound without striking out any batters.

Schell took the loss from the mound for the ‘Jills with no strike outs and walking five. Brittany Guthrie doubled in the only run for Valley, while Morgan Starkey added a pair of singles.

The Tyler Consolidated Silver Knights scored seven runs in the bottom of the fourth and held off the the Valley Lumberjills for a 8-7 victory.

Brittany Guthrie smacked a single and a triple, while Heidi Shaw added a two-RBI single and Morgan Starkey added a pair of singles to lead the ‘Jill offense. Kayla Cecil smacked an RBI single and Holli Schell brought home a pair of base runners for the ‘Jills.

Schell took the loss from the mound. She didn’t strike out a batter, but walked only one. Heather Suter paced the Knights with a two-RBI double from the dish, while striking out 10 batters from the mound.

The Beallsville Blue Devils tallied eight runs in the first and fifth innings to gain a 19-5 mercy-rule shortened game against the Valley Lumberjills, April 14 in Beallsville.

The ‘Jills tallied two runs to open the game, but found themselves in a hole they couldn’t get out of. Holli Schell took the loss from the mound, striking out two, while walking four. Her battery mate, Kayla Cecil, plated a run, while hitting a pair of singles and Ashley “Pig-Pin” Staley got down-and-dirty with an RBI single.

The Valley Lumberjills gave up 27 runs in a double-header loss to Bishop Donahue March 27 in McMechen.

In the opener, the Lady Bishops used a nine-run fifth inning to win the opener, 14-4. The ‘Jills’ Holli Schell was the hard-luck losing pitcher. She struck out six, but walked seven, and her defense gave up seven errors.

Valley had two hits in the mercy-rule shortened game. Hannah Shaw paced the ‘Jills with a two-RBI triple, while Ashley Staley added a single.

In the second game, the ‘Jills gave up 10 runs in the second frame and couldn’t recover as Bishop won 13-3 to gain the sweep. Valley had hits by Shaw and Brittany Guthrie, but committed five more errors – 12 – in the double-header loss.

Kayla Cecil took the loss from the rubber. She gave up nine hits, while striking out two Donahue batters.

The Lady Hornets finally played their first game of the season on their home field April 16 and went on to beat Jefferson County Christian 9-1 in a five -inning game called because of darkness.

After striking for a single run in the home half of the first inning, the Lady Hornets stung their guests for four runs in the second and fourth frames to break it open.

Raven McDiffitt tripled and singled twice, while knocking in two runs to pace the Lady Hornets at the plate. Jordyn Gorby followed with three singles, while plating four baserunners and a sacrifice fly. Rachel Ashcraft singled and added a sacrifice fly, while Haley Hayes singled, got hit by a pitch, scored two runs and hijacked a base.

Lindsay Burley continued to smack the ball, chipping in with a pair of singles and took a walk when she was hit by a pitch. Michelle McCleland walked twice and scored twice, while Katie Tennant walked and scored a run.

“It felt good to play on our home field , finally,” said Hornet Head Coach Brian Bartlett. “The girls really played a great game, both on the field and at the plate.” Gorby got her fifth win of the season from the mound. She scattered four hits and struck out nine visiting batters, while not walking one.

******

The Lady Hornets weren’t as fortunate against Bishop Donahue on April 17 as they were against Jefferson, losing a double header to the Lady Bishops, 8-0 and 23-8, in McMechen.

Gorby had the only hit of the game for the Hornets. She also scattered four hits and struck out from the mound. “Jordyn pitched pretty well,” said Bartlett. “Donahue has some really good hitters and we made some mental mistakes defensively that really hurt our chances. We also didn’t put the ball into play, offensively.”

In the night cap, Hornet pitcher Rachel Ashcraft walked 19 batters. The Bishops capitalized and walked away with a 23-8 victory.

The Hornets out hit their hosts, 11-7, but couldn’t get it done on this night. Macy Woods led Hundred with a double and a pair of singles, while knocking in four runs. Mercedez Goff scored twice and drilled a pair of singles, while McDiffitt followed with a pair of RBI singles. Gorby, Haley Hayes and Emily Ebbert each singled for the Lady Hornets.

“We didn’t play anywhere close to what we are capable of. We have to learn that when you play a good team such as Donahue, you can’t make mistakes because they will take advantage of them,” said Bartlett.

“We are 6-6 right now and 3-4 in the OVAC. We still have lots of softball to play and I have every confidence in the world that these girls will turn things around. We play five games this week and maybe more at the Clay-Battelle Tournament this weekend.”

The Lumberjills host the Hundred Hornets tonight at 5 p.m. and Paden City April 5.