For Ohio Valley Athletics to visit a team repeatedly down the stretch there must be a reason. John Marshall needed three games to dispose of Morgantown just about a week ago, but it sure seems they found their stride in that last game between the Monarchs and the Mohigans where John Marshall smoked Morgantown by a score of 10-0.
Enter another team from Morgantown, University. The Hawks must have been shaking their heads after the 2 games the Monarchs just put together against them. Game one, saw West Liberty commit Kadence Pettit shine holding the Hawks scoreless helping the Monarchs manage a 2-0 win in game one.
As for tonight’s game two, the Monarchs were not going to be denied. Not only did Pettit show up as her usual self, holding University again scoreless on the day. She only gave up 4 hits going the distance in 5 innings because that’s all the Monarchs needed in this one. Pettit had six strikeouts on the day, getting stronger it seemed every time the Hawks managed to get a runner on.
It wasn’t Pettit alone tonight, however. Not at all, she got help from her friends! First, the excitement from the dugout was noticeable. Regardless, if the Monarchs were on offense or defense, you could see and feel the energy.
The Monarchs didn’t waste any time getting on the board in the bottom of the first. Ava Blake lines one for a double getting herself into scoring position early. University decides to intentionally walk Pettit. That puts runners on first and second. A wild pitch soon follows and moves up each runner giving the Monarchs two runners in scoring position. Another walk loads the bases for Reese Ward who lines one down the middle of the field driving in 2 runs for the Monarchs, giving them a quick 2-0 lead. The Hawks did manage to stop the bleeding at two runs ending the first inning with the Monarchs up 2-0.
A scoreless second inning on both sides, mainly due to the pitching of Pettie who sat down two on strikeouts in the second.
The third inning is where the Monarchs really decided to show their dominance. Ava Blake once again shows why she is an early Marshall commit, blasting a shot that I think landed in Grand Vue Park for a solo homerun that ignited the Monarch dugout and stands.
Carlie Keyser gets a solid base hit. Getting a runner on board. Nia Miller entered the game for Kyser as a pinch runner. Pettit then reaches base on a walk. Again, Coach West goes to the bench for a pinch runner as he looked to Kayleigh Stauffer. You could tell Coach West was looking to just manufacture runs.
With runners now at first and second, Reese Ward steps to bat yet again in this game and laces a ball just fair down the right field line and drives in two more RBIs for herself on the day. Giving her a total of 4 RBIs in just three innings. She did turn this hit into a triple for herself as well. This now hands the Monarchs a 4-0 lead in the game.
The third wasn’t quite over for the Monarchs. Carlie Keyser manages to find her way back to the plate and answers the call again with a sacrifice fly to drive in Ward. This would top off the bottom of third with a monster 5 run performance from the Monarchs. Handing them a commanding 7-0 lead going into the fourth.
University comes back up to bat with little success as they not only had to deal with Pettit, but the rest of the team showed up as well. The Monarchs were spectacular on defense tonight. There was just a list of special play after play by the John Marshall defense on the night and not just in the fourth.
Such plays as Blake coming clear over from short to catch a ball in shallow left. Carlee Yoho made a wonderful throw from third to get a close call at first. Reese Ward in center made a diving ice cream scoop type catch on a shallow ball to center. Catcher, Masyn Inclan got the first out of the game when she threw out an attempted steal at second in the first inning. It just seemed like time after time the Monarchs were firing on all cylinders tonight.
As for the bats, they just kept going. The Monarchs did get one more insurance run in the fourth. Again, Reese Ward who was hitting the ball so well on the night. Hit a double this time in the fourth giving the Monarchs runners on second and third. Carlee Yoho does manage to herself an RBI driving in the final run for the Monarchs tonight in the fourth giving them an 8-0 lead at the end of the fourth.
The Monarchs sealed the deal in the top of the fifth, holding the Hawks scoreless again and securing themselves a trip to the state tournament next Wednesday in Charleston. This makes the third year in a row the Monarchs will head to states as Region 1 Champs.
This total team performance didn’t go unnoticed by Coach Ed West. Catching up with him after the game and asking him his thoughts. He stated, “We played extremely well both offensively and defensively”.
He continued to say, “We played them yesterday and didn’t hit the ball well, but we managed to get a couple runs to get the win, but today we came out swinging and hit the ball extremely well from top to bottom. We had a lot of girls contributing and put some runs on the board”.
When the topic of defense came up Coach West states; “I thought we made some really nice plays, we made the routine plays and a few really good plays”.
He did wrap it up by giving credit to the Monarch pitcher saying, “Kadence was her usual in the circle, she’s very, very, good and has been good for us for a very long time now, and she continues to dominate when she’s in the circle”.
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