Lady Eagles 2,

Wheeling Central 0

The Magnolia Lady Eagles avenged an earlier defeat by Wheeling Central when they blanked the Knights 2-0 at the I-470 Complex April 19 in Wheeling. Tori Tharp pitched a two-hit shutout, striking out a dozen, while walking two in pushing Magnolia’s win-loss record this season to 19-6.

With both the Knight and Eagle pitchers dueling one-hitters heading into the fourth frame, it was Tharp that got the ball rolling with a walk. Abbey Horner then drilled an inside-the-park home run.

Tharp didn’t allow a Knight baserunner past first until the bottom of the seventh, when she gave up a one-out triple and then retired the next batter on a one-hopper to Dallas Mullett at shortstop. She then retired the Knights with her 12th strike out of the game.

Besides Horner’s round trip, Alexajo Hanna belted a single in the third and Jordan Babe smacked a single in the seventh.

The Lady Eagles will finish the regular season against Union Local tonight a 5 p.m. before heading into sectional play next week.

Magnolia 13,

Wheeling Central 5,

The Magnolia Blue Eagle Baseball Team had its hitting shoes on in Wheeling April 21 against Class-A power Wheeling Central as they pounded out 13 hits in defeating the Maroon Knights, 13-5.

The Eagles have been hitting the ball well all season and have won 12 straight games after this victory and increased its record to 13-2 on the season.

In the Blue’s 12th straight win, four different Eagles had multi-hit games, while four pitchers – Traeh Keller, Kyle Elliott, Justin Fox, and Chuckie McElaney – combined to shut the door on any Knight rally.

Magnolia scored two runs in the first frame, but the Knights matched that with a two spot of their own in the bottom half of the first. Magnolia scored three in the second and three in the third to break the game wide open.

But, Central wouldn’t go down without a fight and tallied three more runs in the fourth to pull within two runs. However, enough is enough, and Magnolia would make the Knights pay with three runs in the fifth, two in the sixth, and one more for good measure in the seventh. Chuckie McElaney gained the nod from the mound with two strike outs in his two innings of work.

The Knights finally pitched to Eagle standout Justin “Tank” Fox – who hasn’t seen the ball close to the plate the past several games – responded with a pair of singles and a towering triple. He also knocked in two Blue Eagle base runners.

Mr. Do-it-All, Davey “Hitman” Howell, followed with a pair of hustling triples, while knocking in three Blue Eagles. Jordan Moore, who continues to pound the ball of late, smacked a single and drilled a double, while scoring a pair of Eagle runners. Traeh Keller was the final Eagle batter to have multi hits in the game and pounded out a pair of singles.

Other Eagles belting hits and scoring runs included Seth Pay with a triple and Landon Herrick with an RBI single.

*****

The #2-ranked Eagles took on the #1-ranked Sissonsville Indians April 22 in an unscheduled game at Mullett Field in New Martinsville in a huge Class AA game.

The Indians scored four unearned runs and held off a pair of Magnolia rallies to win a 4-3 thriller that halted the Eagles’ 12-game winning streak and pushed Sissonsville’s record to 19-5.

“What a ball game,” said MHS Head Coach Dave Cisar. “I really don’t know any other way to describe it.”

With the game scoreless and entering the third inning, the Indians broke through with a pair of runs, thanks to a couple Magnolia miscues, and extended the score to 4-0 in the sixth. All were unearned.

But, when it looked like the Eagles were about to be blanked, the Indians helped with a pair of miscues, which were followed by three Eagle singles that got them to within one run going into the seventh.

In the seventh, the Indians got two quick outs before Traeh Keller reached base on a Sissonsville error. Fox singled and Rine walked. However, Howell flew out to end the threat.

Rine took the loss from the mound. He struck out six and walked two batters, while Fox came in relief in the seventh and got three quick outs, including a strike out.

“Mason pitched well enough to get the win,” commented Cisar. “He didn’t blow anyone away, but he pitched sound and didn’t get hit hard. It all comes down to the old adage – you have to catch, field, and throw the ball – and there was a time or two that we didn’t do that. I’m real proud of these kids. When it looked like we were done and gone, these kids battled back and made a great game of it. We just have to keep working and getting better,” Cisar added.

Fox had a pair of singles, while Rine added an RBI single and Moore drilled a double to lead the Eagles at the plate.

The defending OVAC champions Magnolia lost to St. Clairsville, 4-3, in the semi finals of the OVAC Class AAA playoffs April 24.

Valley ‘Jills 9-12,

Jefferson Christian 7-9

The Lumberjills’ Heidi Shaw hit a pair of homers, a pair of doubles and a pair of singles, while driving home eight runs April 24 against Jefferson Christian in a 9-7 and 12-9 double header victory.

Shaw smacked a pair of singles and pounded a double, while chasing three base runners home to lead the ‘Jills in the opener. While Shaw was giving the ‘Jills the lead with her bat VHS senior Kala Cecil was doing it from the mound. She struck out eight and didn’t walk a batter to gain the nod from the mound.

Morgan Starkey’s bat was on fire as she heated the place with three singles and plated a run, while Cecil helped herself at the plate with an RBI single. Taylor Highley contributed a pair of singles, while Crystal Cook, Ashley Staley and Brooke Staley each plated a run with singles.

In the night cap, Shaw drilled a pair of home runs and lined a double, while plating five Valley baserunners to lead the charge. Starkey and Cecil each had a pair of hits, while Brittany Guthrie got into the act with a double and a triple. Ashley Staley also blasted her fourth home run of the season, while Cook and Highley each added RBI singles.

Lady Eagles 1,

Cameron 0,

Blue Eagle sophomore flame thrower Tori Tharp struck out 15 Lady Dragon batters and tossed a complete, two-hit, 1-0 shutout of Cameron in game one of a double-header April 20 at Hydro Park.

Magnolia got to the Cameron hurler, Tara Paczewski, who also pitched a gem in striking out seven and giving up only two hits. However, the Eagles were fortunate to get both of their hits in the same frame to manufacture their lone tally.

For four-and-a-half innings, the Cameron sophomore pitcher threw blanks and was only nine outs away from a no hitter. But, the Eagles’ Abbey Horner doubled to start the home-half of the fifth to get the first hit of the game for Magnolia. After a wild pitch that moved her only 65 feet away from home plate, Andrea Lockhart would knock Horner home for the only run of the game.

Each time the Lady Dragons would get base runners in scoring position, Tharp would answer the door and shut it right back in their face to get disarm the visitors of any chances. Cameron left seven base runners on, including six that made it into scoring position.

“Tori is such a competitor and a great athlete. She thrives when she is behind in the count and when she is in tough situations,” said Magnolia Head Coach Mark Batton. “I really think it brings out the best in her when she has to throw strikes and get outs.”

Cameron 12,

Hundred 2

The Cameron Dragons scored six runs in the bottom of the second frame enroute to a 12-2 victory over the Hundred Lady Hornets April 22 in Dragon territory.

The Hornets tallied two runs in the third to break up the shutout with RBI singles by Haley Hayes and Emily Ebbert. Mercdez Goff added a single for the Hornets, while Katie Tennant and Ebbert each scored a run.

Jordyn Gorby took the loss from the mound for the Lady Hornets. She struck out five and walked one, while her counterpart, Cassie Richmond, scattered three hits, struck out two and walked five.

“We played well enough in the first and fifth innings, but the rest of the way we were plagued with errors,” said Hundred Head Coach Brian Bartlett. “Cameron has a good ball club and you can’t make mistakes, because they will take you to the shed if you give them an inch.”

Hundred 8,

Valley 2

After starting the season with 12 consecutive losses, the Hundred Hornet Baseball Team got their first win April 22, in Hundred, against Wetzel County foe Valley by the score of 8-2.

Getting the proverbial monkey off their backs was welcomed by new Hornet Head Coach Jeremy Kelch, and he expressed it quite simply: “It’s been a long time coming.”

Hunter Ring of Valley got the first hit of the game in the first inning. It would become the ‘Jacks only hit of the game. Hornet hurler Jesse Tedrow buckled down and got out of the inning further unscathed.

In the bottom half, the Hundred’s Dalton Kuhn reached on a throwing error and teammate Zach Phillips made Valley pay when he doubled home Kuhn.

Hundred scored twice mor in the second as Phillips was up for the second time and reached on another Lumberjack error. Zac White doubled Phillips in and would later score on a sacrifice fly by Mhar Opyoke.

While the Hornet offense was pounding Valley pitching, Tedrow was tossing a gem for Hundred. In the fourth, Hornet Zach Watson led off with a bunt single and would touch all the bases during a Shane Kuhn double for a Hornet tally. Dalton Kuhn would plate his brother, Shane, with a triple.

Valley scored their only runs in the fourth, as Cody Scott reached on a Hundred error and Cody Bates walked. Cody Bassett reached on an error that would ultimately send Scott and Bates home.

In the sixth frame, Hundred’ Chris Varner singled as did Dalton Kuhn. Phillips drove home Varner with the third straight single of the inning and White doubled both Kuhn and Phillips in for the rest of Hundred’s runs.

Tedrow had a complete game, one-hitter for the Hornets and struck out 11 Lumberjack batters, while issuing two walks. At the plate the Hornets, Phillips, White and Dalton Kuhn each had two singles, while Varner, Shane Kuhn, Zach Watson and Roger Stalnaker each drilled one base hit.

Anthony Quinn took the loss from the rubber for the ‘Jacks. He struck out three, while

The next night, the Hornets took on West Greene, who took them to the cleaners, 15-5, in a mercy-rule shortened game.

“I don’t know what happened,” said Kelch. “We played such a good game against Valley and then turned around and got beat up by West Greene. Who can figure?”

Dalton Kuhn was the pitcher of record and took the loss, striking out three. White paced Hundred with a pair of doubles and knocked in two runs, while Nick Phillips brought home two more runs on a base hit. Zach Phillips singled twice, while Watson, Mhar and Shane Kuhn got their name in the paper with a single.

Clay-Battelle scored six runs in the top of the seventh to beat Valley 11-4 on April 20 in Pine Grove.

Travis Villers led the way from the plate with a single, and a triple, while knocking in a pair of runs. Anthony Quinn added a pair of singles. Cody Bassett knocked in a run on a single.

Up next for the Hornets is Clay-Battelle on May 3 at home at 5 p.m., while Valley hosts Bellaire St. John and Tyler Consolidated, April 28 and 30, respectively.

Hundred 3,

Trinity 2

Hornet catcher Rachel Ashcraft knocked in two runs in the fourth inning to break open a 1-1 tie against Morgantown Trinity and held on for a 3-2 victory April 19 in Hundred.

Raven McDiffitt launched her first home run of the season in the bottom half of the first inning to give the Lady Hornets a 1-0 lead. However, Trinity scored a run in the second to knot the game at 2.

But, Haley Hayes singled and McDiffitt singled before Ashcraft drilled a standup double to clear the bases and secured the victory for the Hornets.

Jordyn Gorby tossed a four hitter, while striking out 17 and walking two to get the win from the mound. Offensively, the Hornets only had five hits, but timely hitting and aggressive base running gave the home team all they would need.

McDiffitt slammed a home run and hit a single, while scoring two runs and knocking in another. Hayes and Taylor Ashcraft each singled, while Rachel Ashcraft knocked in two runs, including the game winner with a double.

“The girls really showed up to play and of course Gorby had an outstanding game from the mound,” said Hornet Head Coach Brian Bartlett. “We manufactured some base runners and Rachel came through with some timely hitting.”