MORGANTOWN — There was an instant classic played on ISS Field at Mylan Park Monday evening in game one of the Class AAA Region 1 championship softball series between the University Hawks and Morgantown Mohigans. And they’ll do it all again today.
The Hawks (21-9) take a 1-0 series lead into game two today after earning a hard-fought, come-from-behind victory, 6-5, over their cross-town rival Mohigans (20-8).
UHS scored its six runs on nine hits after trailing 3-0 entering the top of the fourth. Freshman catcher Josalyn Phillips led the way at the plate going 3 for 4 with a pair of RBI. The Mohigans were led by junior pitcher Maddie Wisman who was 3 for 3 at the dish with two RBI.
The series will shift 75 yards across the Mylan Park complex to Lynch Field today at 5 p.m. with UHS needing a win to punch a ticket to the state tournament in Charleston.
“Our girls did exactly what we’ve coached them to do,” UHS head coach Mindy Parks said. “We were down but kept fighting and once we got a few runs back we built on that momentum and got the job done. The key for us today was swinging at the right pitch. Very proud of Josalyn today as she has made a difference for us.”
The Mohigans broke the ice in the second inning as junior catcher Paige Rhodes blasted a two-run home run that cleared the scoreboard and gave her team a 2-0 lead. Maddie Wisman followed suit in the third with a solo shot over the center-field fence to extend the lead to 3-0.
But UHS sophomore Maddie Campbell came back strong in the circle in the bottom of the fourth and her offense got to work.
After a lead-off single by Carley Voithhofer, a sacrifice bunt and walk saw UHS with runners on the corners and two outs. Campbell then helped herself with some run support with an RBI single to center. She was followed by Phillips who tied the game at three with a two-run double to the gap.
“Hits are contagious,” Parks said. “We picked up our momentum and built our confidence and sometimes all it takes is that slight shift in the momentum for things to fall into place. It was a great game and we expected that.”
After a defensive stand in the bottom of the fifth, UHS continued its work on the offensive end. Jansen drew a walk but was followed by two strikeouts. Ashlynn Weaver came to bat for the Hawks and hit a groundball to third base that was overthrown to first, giving UHS runners on second and third with the game tied 3-3 in the top of the sixth inning.
That made way for freshman Lexi Elza to give UHS a 5-3 lead, doubling home both runners and giving her team its fifth unanswered run.
After Campbell worked another scoreless inning in the bottom of the sixth, the Hawks earned another two-out base-hit that scored another run and extended the lead to 6-3 as Jansen singled home Campbell from third. UHS scored all six runs in the contest with two outs.
The Mohigans had their own two-out rally up their sleeves in the bottom of the seventh, as a triple by Wisman cut the lead to 6-4. Micah Wilson then hit a fly ball to left field that fell for a hit and scored Wisman from third, cutting the lead to a single run of 6-5.
The final play came as a fly ball in the infield was dropped and picked up by Ashlynn Weaver who rifled home to Phillips to apply the tag on the advancing runner for the final out.
“I’m happy with the way we fought to come back, we just had a few missed opportunities here and there,” MHS head coach Lorri Lipscomb said. “You want to win game one but it’s only one game and we still have plenty of opportunity to turn it around and make sure we are paying on this field again.”
The Hawks and Mohigans will be back for game two today at 5 p.m. on Lynch Field at Mylan Park.
BOX SCORE
University 6, Morgantown 5
UHS 000 032 1 – 6 9 0
MHS 021 000 2 – 5 9 2
University (21-9) – Elza 3112 Brown 3000 Campbell 4221 Phillips 4032 Lehosit 4000 Jansen 2111 Royce 4010 Voithofer 4010 Weaver 1100
2B: Phillips
Morgantown (20-8) – A Robinson 2110 Peterson 4000 Wisman 3232 Wilson 4011 Alsop 3010 Larimer 3000 B Robinson 3120 Rhodes 2112 Smith 1000 G Robinson 3000
2B: Wilson
3B: Wisman
HR: Wisman, Rhodes
WP: Campbell 5.1ip 7h 3r 2bb 2k
LP: Wilson 2.1ip 4h 3r 1bb 4k
