MORGANTOWN — If hitting is contagious, then the John Marshall softball team had a full-blown epidemic on its hands Tuesday night.
The Monarchs (20-8) collected 11 hits on their way to a 7-1 victory over University at Mylan Park. The win for JMHS forces the third game in the best-of-three Class AAA Region I regional.
“I just told them we needed to be a little more patient,” JMHS head coach Ed West said. “We played them the first game of the year and I think we struck out 14 or 15 times and we only had two hits. Since then, we have gotten a little more disciplined at the plate.”
While John Marshall was finding its offense, the Hawks (17-11) and head coach Mindy parks are left looking for theirs even after winning a 4-3 extra-inning contest on Monday.
“We didn’t hit the ball at all,” Parks said. “We were just really flat. We jumped out [Monday] 2-0 and today they came out and scored early. We can’t wait until the sixth inning again. You can’t wait that long against this good of a team to hit.”
The Monarchs scored their first run in the second inning when pitcher Kadence Pettit led off with a double to left field and then courtesy runner Reese Ward scored on a double off the bat of Megan Dougherty.
Pettit and UHS pitcher Autumn Stemple then put on an old-fashioned pitching duel for the next three innings. In fact, Pettit struck out eight of the next 10 UHS hitters on her way to 15 total in the game. Stemple also shut down the JMHS offense until the sixth as she struck out two and allowed just two hits.
However, in the sixth inning John Marshall found its offense. Pettit got things started as she hit a one-out single to center and then Ward, running again, advanced to second when UHS committed an error on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Dougherty. That is when Ryleigh Morgan did damage for the Monarchs as she fouled off several pitches before slugging a three-run home run off the pole barn in left field.
West said his team was able to lay off the high pitches and rise ball that Stemple features and that helped them put together some offense against the Hawks.
University scored its lone run in the sixth as it cut the deficit to 4-1. Meysa Heitman scored when Kelsey Park hit a line drive off the third baseman’s glove. UHS had another run cut down at the plate when JM’s right fielder made a perfect throw to the catcher.
John Marshall scored three more runs in the seventh as Pettit recorded an RBI sacrifice fly and Dougherty added a two-run double.
“I have been struggling at the plate recently,” Pettit said. “I just focused on my fundamentals, tried not to swing at the high pitch and focused on all the good pitches.”
The two teams will now play one single game at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at JMHS. The winner will advance to the state finals in Charleston. John Marshall is looking to make its sixth trip to Charleston in 12 years while UHS is looking for its first appearance since 1994.
“We definitely need to hit,” Parks said. “I might mix it up a little bit tomorrow — we will see.”
Lauren Huebsch led the Hawks with a double while Heitmann and Ally Jansen each had a single. Dougherty was 3-for-4 with three RBIs for the Monarchs while Pettit added two hits.
By ERIC HERTER
John Marshall (20-8)
Tucker 4 0 1 0, Adkins 3 0 1 0, Blake 2 1 1 0, Skrzyneki 3 0 0 0, Druschel 1 1 0 0, Kountz 4 1 1 0, Pettit 3 2 2 1, Dougherty 4 1 3 3, Morgan 4 1 1 3, Bailey 3 0 1 0. Totals 31 7 11.
University (17-11)
Argabrite 2 0 0 0, Heitmann 3 1 1 0, Huebsch 3 0 1 0, Jansen 2 0 1 0, Park 3 0 0 0, Stemple 3 0 0 0, Spadafore 3 0 0 0, Riffle 2 0 0 0, Conrad 1 0 0 0, Weaver 2 0 0 0. Totals 24 1 3 0.
JMHS 010 003 3 – 7 11 1
UHS 000 001 0 – 1 3 1
HR – JM: Morgan
2B – JM: Pettit, Dougherty. UHS: Huebsch
WP – Pettit 7ip, 1r, 0er, 3h, 1bb, 15k
LP – Stemple 6ip, 7r, 6er, 11h, 2bb, 5k
