MORGANTOWN — The temperature dropped in Morgantown on Tuesday, but the University softball team’s bats stayed red-hot as the Hawks picked up an 8-0 win over rival Morgantown in five innings on Lynch Field at Mylan Park.
University (4-0) sophomore Maddie Campbell is used to impacting the game in the circle, but did all her damage from the batter’s box against the Mohigans (0-1), going 3-3 with a double, home run and five RBI.
“She’s MVP of the game,” UHS coach Mindy Parks said.
Parks debated between starting either Campbell or fellow sophomore Sophia Lehosit in the circle. She went with Lehosit, who allowed no runs and just three hits in five innings, letting Campbell focus solely on hitting and defense.
“We went back and forth (on who to start), they’re both such great pitchers,” Parks said. “I really expected to put Maddie in, but with the temperature and Sophia was on, we thought let’s just hold on.
“For Maddie, I think it made her a little more relaxed. She was just focused on her hitting and I think it took some pressure off of her. You couldn’t ask for more from Maddie Campbell.”
“I spent my Sunday just practicing for three hours on hitting,” Campbell said. “I got in the box and I was confident and I just stayed short to the ball.”
Campbell’s first hit was a double to right-center field that scored Adalyn Brown, who had drawn a lead-off walk. Campbell took third base on the throw and later scored on a passed ball to put the Hawks up 2-0.
In the bottom of the third, Campbell again went to the opposite field, stroking a single to right that against scored Brown, who had reached on an error. Campbell again took an extra base on the throw and was able to score on Olivia Masoner’s groundout.
Lexi Elza later drove in Lehosit with a single up the middle to put UHS up 5-0 after three innings.
After pushing the ball in her first two at-bats, Campbell pulled one in the bottom of the fourth, sending a ball to deep left that cleared the building beyond the left field fence for a three-run home run.
“I didn’t think I could even hit the ball that far,” Campbell said.
To cap off her all-around night, Campbell helped end the game by turning a double play from her shortstop position in the top of the fifth.
“She’s just a great all-around player,’ Parks said. “She’s quick, she knows what she’s doing and she runs the bases well.”
Masoner finished 1-3 with a double and an RBI, Brown scored two runs and Elza finished with a hit and an RBI.
Lehosit’s final pitching line was no runs on three hits with two walks and two strikeouts.
Morgantown, playing its first game of the season, let early scoring chances slip by, which allowed University to build its lead.
The Mohigans got runners on base in each of the first three innings but failed to bring any of them around to score. By the end of the third, University had scored five runs.
“It’s our first game out and UHS has four games under their belt. Maybe that’s bad on me for poor scheduling,” MHS coach Lori Lipscomb said. “I told them we can’t let this game set the tone.”
Emily Peterson, Paige Rhodes and Anne Robinson each had a hit for the Mohigans. Pitcher Mo Wilson gave up eight runs on seven hits with two walks and two strikeouts.
“Getting that first game out of the way, it isn’t the way you ever want it to end, especially against UHS,” Lipscomb said. “But we’ve got to go to John Marshall (Wednesday) so we’ve got to let this one go and play how we know we can play.”
University hosts Bridgeport today at 5 p.m. while Morgantown travels to Glen Dale to play reigning state champion John Marshall.
BOX SCORE
University 8, Morgantown 0
MHS 000 00 — 0 3 1
UHS 203 3x — 8 7 0
MORGANTOWN (0-1) — G. Robinson 2 0 0 0; Peterson 2 0 1 0; Alsop 1 0 0 0; Wilson 2 0 0 0; Wisman 2 0 0 0; Larimer 2 0 0 0; Rhodes 2 0 1 0; B. Robinson 2 0 0 0; A. Robinson 2 0 1 0. Totals 17 0 3 0.
UNIVERSITY (4-0) — Brown 2 2 0 0; Campbell 3 3 3 5; Masoner 3 0 1 1; Lehosit 3 1 1 0; Elza 2 0 1 1; Jansen 2 0 0 0; Park 2 0 0 0; Weaver 1 1 0 0; Royce 1 1 1 0. Totals 19 8 7 7.
2B — UHS: Campbell, Masoner.
HR — UHS: Campbell.
WP: Lehosit 5ip, 0r, 3h, 2bb, 2k.
LP: Wilson 3.2ip, 8r, 7h, 2bb, 2k.
