MORGANTOWN — What a difference a month makes.
The first time Morgantown and University softball met this season back on Feb. 19, the Mohigans managed just three hits in an 8-0 loss.
In the rematch on Monday, Morgantown returned the favor, scoring six runs in the bottom of the first inning en route to an 8-0 victory on a beautiful evening on ISS Field.
“I think it was our mindset,” MHS coach Lori Lipscomb said. “We’re in a different mindset now, we’re playing more confident and we’re playing better as a team.”
Morgantown (10-5) was without its top pitcher, senior Mo Wilson, but got a stellar outing by sophomore Madie Wisman. Wisman allowed just one hit in the game, a single in the top of the fifth, and struk out six.
“I think I just really trusted my defense throughout the game,” Wisman said. “My rise ball was also working really well and a big part of that is trusting (catcher) Paige (Rhodes) to catch it for me because sometimes they can get a little lost.”
University managed just five baserunners on the hit, three walks and an error. UHS never got a runner past second base.
“Maddie Wisman has come and really stepped in when we needed her,” Lipscomb said. “And the defense has played great behind her.”
An early 6-0 certainly doesn’t hurt either, as Wisman all but cruised after the Mohigans went up in the bottom of the first.
“I know it’s going to take a lot across a seven-inning game for them to catch up to that,” Wisman said. “My team putting me up 6-0 helps a lot.”
Following a leadoff strikeout and then a walk, MHS strung six straight hits together to bring six runs across. Kate Larimer scorched a two-run single to left field and Beth Robinson capped the rally off with an RBI double down the line.
“They were just down,” UHS coach Mindy Parks said of her team. “(Morgantown) sucked the life out of us when it was 6-0. We’ve got to get mentally tough and I’ve been telling them we need to learn how to come back.”
UHS starter Sophia Lehosit settled down after the first inning, allowing just four baserunners and no runs across the next three frames, but the Hawks’ offense never got going to chip into the deficit.
“You take away that first inning and it’s a different game,” Parks said. “But we got one hit, I don’t care what happens. One hit is just not acceptable, that pitching was not that dominant.”
Emily Peterson hit an RBI double in the bottom of the sixth and Wisman drew a bases-loaded walk to increase the lead to 8-0 and trigger the mercy-rule ending.
“That was a big game for us considering we lost to them the first time,’ Wisman said. “Coming back and beating them by the same score really means a lot for us.”
The road doesn’t get any easier for the Hawks, who will host defending state champion John Marshall today at 5 p.m. Morgantown hosts Wheeling Park on Thursday.
BOX SCORE
Morgantown 8, University 0, 6 innings
UHS 000 000 — 0 1 3
MHS 600 002 — 8 11 1
UNIVERSITY (10-6) — Elza 3 0 1 0; Brown 2 0 0 0; Masoner 3 0 0 0; Phillips 2 0 0 0; Lehosit 3 0 0 0; Jansen 2 0 0 0; Royce 1 0 0 0; Weaver 1 0 0 0; Voithoffer 1 0 0 0; Park 1 0 0 0; Cox 1 0 0 0. Totals 20 0 1 0.
MORGANTOWN (10-5) — A. Robinson 4 1 0 0; Peterson 3 2 2 1; Alsop 4 1 3 0; Wilson 3 1 1 1; Wisman 3 1 1 0; Rhodes 3 1 2 1; Larimer 3 1 1 2; B. Robinson 2 0 1 1; G. Robinson 3 0 0 0. Totals 25 8 11 6.
2B — MHS: Peterson, Rhodes, B. Robinson.
WP: Wisman 6 ip, 0r, 1h, 3bb, 6k
LP: Lehosit 5.1 ip, 8r, 11h, 4bb, 4k
Trinity Christian 15, East Fairmont 12
GRANVILLE — Trinity Christian won a high-scoring affair against visiting East Fairmont 15-12 Monday evening.
The Warriors had nine hits and drew 12 walks as a team. Peyton Moore led the assault with a pair of home runs and four RBI. Paige Hopkins had two hits, a double, and two RBI, Hannah Dunham had two hits and four RBI and Isabella Kelley had two hits and an RBI. Kaylin Kurilko had a hit and two RBI.
BASEBALL
Trinity Christian 20, Hundred 2
MORGANTOWN — The Warriors won big on Monday, dropping Hundred 20-2 in five innings.
Parker Hopkins had the big night at the plate, smacking three hits including a home run and driving in six.
Brock Shuba had two hits and two RBI, Beret Shuba had three hits and scored four runs, Trenton Timperio had two hits, Joel Bowers had two hits and three RBI, Sam Fulk had a pair of hits and Noah Toler drove in two with a hit.
Timperio and Toler split duties on the mound as Timperio started and Toler pitched the final three innings, striking out six.
John Marshall 11, Morgantown 4
GLAN DALE — Morgantown’s six-game winning streak was snapped with an 11-4 loss at John Marshall on Monday.
JM’s Alex Wilhelm pitched all seven innings with five strikeouts while also driving in four runs at the plate on two hits, including a home run.
Eli Bogg was the only Mohigan to record multiple knocks with a pair of singles. Mason Bowers, Boggs and Weston Mazey had the team’s three RBI.
