Bill Lusk | WVOW Sports
FAYETTEVILLE Man’s Mia Johnson and Hedgesville’s Kenzie Edwards both were dominant for seven innings, but a costly Hedgesville error led to two unearned runs in the fifth inning as the Man Little League advanced to Wednesday’s championship game of the loser’s bracket defeating the Hedgesville Little League 2-0 Tuesday evening in the West Virginia Little League Softball State Tournament at Charlie McCoy Town Park.
Neither lineup could do much with either starting pitcher as the two starters combined to allow three hits and strike out 28 over seven innings.
As dominant as they were, it was a Hedgesville error that allowed Erika Mullins to score the game’s first run in the top of the fifth inning. Brianna Blankenship came home on a passed ball to provide Johnson with the run support she would need to keep Man’s hopes of a state championship alive and well.
Perfect though four innings, Edwards hadn’t allowed a hit or a base runner until Mullins led off the top of fifth with a single. Blankenship followed Mullins’ single with a single of her own, however, an error on the play allowed Mullins to score all the way from first base and moved Blankenship to third on the play. Blankenship then scored on a passed ball and Johnson retired Hedgesville in the fifth and sixth for a 2-0 win.
Johnson only allowed a two out fourth inning single to Kori Edwards and struck out 11 and walked one in seven innings.
Kenzie Edwards allowed just two fifth inning singles and struck out 17 in defeat.
Man will now face Sophia in losers’ bracket finals of the Mountaineer Division at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday evening. The winner of Wednesday’s contest will advance to the championship round of the West Virginia Little League State Softball Tournament where they will face the Herd Division winner Jefferson.
Hite Saunders defeated Sophia, 1-0, Tuesday evening to win the Mountaineer Division and Jefferson was a 5-4 winner over Barboursville to win the Herd Division.
West Virginia Little League Softball State Tournament
Charlie McCoy Town Park- Fayetteville, WV
Man 2, Hedgesville 0
Man 000 020- 2 2 2
Hedgesville 000 000- 0 1 1
Johnson and Mullins. Edwards, Ke. And Hayward. Top hitters- M: Mullins 1-2; Blankenship 1-2. H: Edwards, Ko. 1-2.
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