CHARLESTON — After falling behind 9-4 entering the sixth inning, the University High softball team scored seven unanswered runs, including five in the top of the seventh, to defeat Greenbrier East in Game 1 of the 2024 WVSSAC state softball tournament in South Charleston.
UHS freshman Carley Voithofer entered the game as a pinch hitter in the top of the sixth and went 2 for 2 with five RBIs to will the Hawks to a furious comeback victory.
The Hawks scored 11 runs on 13 hits and committed just one error in the contest.
University will move on to play in the 1-0 game this evening around 7 p.m. against the winner of Game 2 between Cabell Midland and Washington.
“You have to continue to play with confidence and that’s what the girls did,” UHS assistant coach Barry Kolar said. “Carley was ready, she warmed up well and has hit the ball well all year. She stepped up in the moment and did what we asked her to do.”
A defensive battle early on saw a scorless game through the first two and a half innings but the floodgates opened after that.
The Spartans took an early 1-0 lead but UHS responded with two in the next half-inning to take a 2-1 lead.
East scored four runs in each of the fourth and fifth innings but UHS managed a pair in return both times. After a clean sixth inning on defense, UHS came to bat with three outs left and trailing by three runs.
After an error by East and a single by UHS, Bri Royce singled home a run that cut the lead to two, 9-7.
Adalyn Brown singled to load the bases, then Lexi Elza did the same to score another run and cut the lead to one run, 9-8.
After the second out, Voithofer came to bat and worked a full count with two outs before driving the 3-2 pitch over the head of the right fielder that cleared the bases and gave UHS the lead, 11-9. The Hawks secured the win with a double play to end the game after a strikeout and a throw to second by catcher Josalyn Phillips that caught the runner.
UHS will play the winner of Cabell Midland and Washington in the 1-0 game this evening around 7 p.m.
BOX SCORE
University 11, Greenbrier East 9
UHS 000 222 5 – 11 13 1
GE 001 440 0 – 9 14 2
University – Elza 5111 Campbell 5210 Masoner 0100 Voithofer 2025 Phillips 5010 Lehosit 4011 Jansen 3011 Weaver 3110 Royce 4131 Brown 4221
2B: Lehosit
3B: Voithofer
Greenbrier East – McClary 5130 Ervin 4111 Boswell 4223 Bartley 2110 Carola 4134 Martin 3010 Gumm 4000 Groves 4000 Cline 3230
2B: Carola (2)
HR: Corolla, Boswell
WP: Lehosit 3.2 IP 8 H 4 ER 3 BB 2 K
LP: Bartley 7.0 IP 13 H 7 ER 2 BB 7 K
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