MORGANTOWN – On March 21st, the Morgantown softball team defeated rival University 7-5 and needed extra innings to earn the hard-fought victory early in the season. On Monday evening, the Mohigans (12-7) only needed five innings to earn a 13-5 win over the Hawks (13-4), sweeping the season series.
MHS scored its 13 runs on nine hits, with three batters tallying multiple. Mohigan starting pitcher Micah Wilson went 2 for 3 at the plate, including a three-run home blast to center field in the top of the fifth inning that gave her team a 13-3 lead.
“I think we’ve been playing some of our best softball as of late, especially this last week,” MHS head coach Lorri Lipscomb said after the game. “Micah has been hot for us on the mound and tonight she had the hot bat also.”
The Mohigans used just three innings to score their 13 runs after going scoreless through the first two rounds on offense.
The Hawks would be the ones to get on the board first in the bottom of the second inning though when Ally Jansen singled, scoring Kelsey Park and opening the scoring at 1-0.
That’s when MHS would open the floodgates with eight runs in a two-out rally in the top of the third inning. After two straight out on pop-flies to the outfield, three straight walks were drawn by Mohigan batters, prompting a pitching change for UHS with Maddie Campbell coming into the circle.
Despite the change, the outcome would remain the same with a walk coming, this time scoring the tying run. The next batter, Kate Larimer, singled on a blooper to shallow right field which gave MHS the lead 2-1 as she brought Adalyn Brown around to score. Lastly, MHS third-baseman Madison Wisman cleared the bases with a fly ball to left field, extending the lead to 8-1.
“Normally we have left those runners stranded in the past,” Lipscomb said. “I think we have been taking a better approach at the plate and we know that if we are patient and make good contact things will happen.”
Wilson, who pitched the whole game for MHS, also helped herself on offense in the top of the fifth inning. She swung at the first pitch of the at-bat and sent the ball over the fence in center field, scoring three runs and extending the Mohigans’ lead to 13-3.
“I’m always trying to focus on my mechanics when I pitch,” Wilson said after the game. “Same thing every pitch and I really trust my defense also. I know I can count on them. Then when I come up to bat with any runners on base I know I just need to try and bring them home.”
The Hawks did add two more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning, but it wouldn’t be enough to prevent the shortened finish with the Mohigans holding firm for the 13-5 victory.
Morgantown 13, University 5
MHS 008 23 – 13 9 4
UHS 011 12 – 5 6 2
Morgantown – Alsop 4110, G Robinson 2100, Harki 3000, Wilson 3123, Peterson 3221, Larimer 2112, Wisman 3122, A Robinson 2100, B Robinson 2210
HR: Wilson
University – Campbell 3100, Argabrite 3000, Masoner 3110, Huebsch 2110, Lehosit 3010, Park 2220, Jansen 2012, Barnhart 2000, Royce 2000
WP: Wilson 5.0ip 6h 5r 1bb 3k
LP: Lehosit 2.2ip 1h 2r 3bb 3k
Campbell 2.1ip 8h 11r 4bb 2k
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