MORGANTOWN — Behind five second-inning runs, the Morgantown High softball team cruised to a Senior Day victory over crosstown rival University, 6-1, at Mylan Park on April 27.
Ally Hawkins led the Mohigans (10-12) with a complete game on the mound, allowing only one run and five hits, and hitting an RBI single in the top of the seventh to ice the game.
Hawkins “did great in the circle,” MHS head coach Lorri Lipscomb. “She definitely did a great job. Offensivley, it was a team effort. They contributed pretty well. I got to give this one to ‘Hawk.’ ”
After both teams traded two-out singles in the first inning, MHS went to work offensively. Brooke Pyles hit a one-out single, then Abby Shaffer reached on a walk.
Two at-bats later, Alexandria Watson hit a grounder in the infield, but UHS pitcher Halei Johnson picked up a fielding error that allowed Pyles and Shaffer to score and let Watson to get to third base.
Julia Zaph singled to bring home Watson in the next at-bat, then Noell Shreve doubled to score Zaph.
With Brianna McKenzie at the plate, Johnson threw a ball that flew just past Hawks catcher Yasmine Colebank, to bring Shreve home and give the Mohigans an early 5-0 advantage.
After 2 1/2 scoreless innings, University (5-13) finally got on the board with a grounder to third base by Hayden Powroznik that scored Casey Herring and cut the deficit to 5-1, Morgantown.
Morgantown added one more run in the seventh inning. McKenzie doubled to lead off and Hawkins brought her home with a single for a 6-1 lead.
In the bottom of the seventh, UHS began to rally. Herring doubled with two outs and Hawkins walked Lindsey Vorndran. With Powroznik coming to the plate, Lipscomb called time out and went to the mound to talk with Hawkins.
“Nerves started rattling but I pushed through it,” Hawkins said. “I dug deep and I knew that I could do it. I pitched the whole game, I knew I could finish it. [Lipscomb] came out and gave me encouragement, and we knew that we had it in the end.”
Powroznik hit a pop fly to end the game.
“Big (second) inning. Defense was probably one of the best defensive games we played,” Lipscomb said. “It’s like they just came out with the right mind set today and got the job done. We got the first batter out in every single inning, so team production was right on today.”
Johnson started on the mound for the Hawks. She also pitched a complete game, allowing 12 hits and six runs (only three of them were earned).
The Mohigans will take on Buckhannon-Upshur in sectional action on Monday, at Mylan Park. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. The Hawks will play Preston at 5 p.m. Monday in sectional play.
“This game is what you need,” Lipscomb said. “You want to finish the regular season and go to the playoffs with this under your belt and hope to build on it.”
