MORGANTOWN — The demise of the University High School softball team might be greatly exaggerated.
Losers of three of its last four contests including a pair of 8-0 losses at the hands of John Marshall and Morgantown, without one of its star players, UHS served notice on Tuesday that the season isn’t over yet.
The Hawks (11-6) pounded out 10 hits on their way to a 7-4 victory over Class AAA No. 2 ranked and defending state champion John Marshall.
“We focused on hitting,” UHS head coach Mindy Parks said. “We had a little different approach tonight. I just wanted to focus on hitting and we warmed up a little differently and we were a little more focused. I brought back some old-school coaching that I have done for years.”
Whatever it was that Parks, and the Hawks, did it sure worked.
University scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning as sophomore catcher Olivia Masoner hit a double in the left-center field gap that scored freshman Lexi Elza and then courtesy runner Maddie Walls scored when pitcher Sophia Lehosit reached base on an error. Senior Ally Jansen then drove in courtesy runner Whitney Cox for the final run of the frame.
Once the Hawks grabbed the lead, it was time for Lehosit to go to work. She held the Monarchs (17-4) hitless for five innings and retired 13-of-14 batters at one point. She finished with five strikeouts and allowed just three hits.
“I think this really sets the tone for the rest of the week and the season,” Lehosit said. “I think we are just more confident, and we have a better mentality at the plate.”
UHS put the game away in the fourth inning as it slugged five hits and scored its final four runs. Jansen and Kelsey Park each had a double in the inning while sophomore centerfielder Adalyn Brown provided the big hit with a two-run inside-the-park home run that glanced off the glove of the right fielder and rolled all the way to the fence.
Lehosit was able to wiggle out of trouble in the sixth inning as the Monarchs scored a pair of runs off wild pitches, but the sophomore pitcher found her stride again after surrendering a pair of walks. She struck out the next three batters to limit the damage.
“I just told her to relax and focus on your catcher,” Parks said of her visit during the inning. “We took away a couple of pitches that weren’t working and I told her to let her defense do the work.”
University’s defense was stellar on the evening as it finished with just one error. The Hawks made several nice running catches in the outfield as well.
“I feel so much more confident pitching when I know my outfield and infield can have my back,” Lehosit said. “I know I can pitch it to where they can hit it and we can get an out.”
The Monarchs scored their final two runs in the top of the seventh inning as Masyn Inclan had an RBI single and Ava Blake added an RBI triple.
Masoner and Jansen each had two hits for UHS with Jansen and Parks each slugging a double and Brown added the home run.
UHS returns to action today when it hosts Preston at 5 p.m. The Hawks are also awaiting news on all-state sophomore pitcher/infielder Maddie Campbell as she awaits the results of a test on her leg.
By ERIC HERTER
University 7, John Marshall 4
JM 000 002 2 – 4 3 4
UHS 300 400 X – 7 10 1
JM – Inclan 4 2 2 1, Blake 3 1 1 1, Cumberledge 3 0 0 0, Ward 2 0 0 0, White 2 0 0 0, Thayer 3 0 0 0, Crow 2 0 0 0, Shock 0 0 0 0, Keyser 3 1 0 0, Stauffer 2 0 0 0, Finley 1 0 0 0. Totals: 25 4 3 2.
UHS – Brown 4 1 1 2, Elza 3 1 1 0, Voithofer 2 0 0 0, Phillips 1 0 1 0, Masoner 3 0 2 1, Walls 0 1 0 0, Lehosit 3 0 0 0, Jansen 3 0 2 1, Royce 3 1 1 0, Weaver 2 1 1 0, Cox 1 1 0 0, Park 3 1 1 1. Totals: 28 7 10 5.
2B – UHS (Masoner, Jansen, Park)
3B – JM (Blake)
HR – UHS (Brown)
WP – Lehosit 7ip 3h 3r 3er 4bb 5k
LP – Crow 6ip 10h 7r 5er 0bb 2k
