Murphy’s home run carries Lady Tigers past Lady Wildcats in sectional opener

Bill Lusk | WVOW Sports

DANVILLE Chloe Murphy hit a go-ahead three-run home run in the third inning as Chapmanville defeated Logan 9-2 Monday night at Lick Creek Park in the Class AA Region 4 Section 2 softball tournament.

Logan (10-15) led 2-1 heading to the bottom of the third inning. The Lady Wildcats had scored two unearned runs in the top of the third on a throwing error off a bunt single by Lacy Curry allowing Emma Elkins to score and tie the game, 1-1. Harlee Quick gave Logan a 2-1 lead with her RBI groundout to third allowing Curry to score from third base.

Chapmanville would get an one-out single from Ashleigh Mahon and a two-out single from Erin Adkins setting the stage for Murphy. Murphy lined an 0-2 pitch from Logan starter Charlie Albright down the left field line for a three-run home run giving the Lady Tigers a 4-2 lead.

Murphy’s home run was one of three for Chapmanville and was three of eight runs scored by the Lady Tigers with two outs.

Brooke Christian had a solo home run in the first to put Chapmanville up 1-0 and Erica Sigmon’s three-run shot in the sixth put the game on ice for the Lady Tigers.

Sigmon’s home run was part of a five-run sixth inning that saw Chapmanville score all its runs with two outs in the inning. Mahon started the scoring in the sixth with a two-out single to right field scoring Claire Dingess and Mikayla Tomblin to make it 6-2 and Sigmon followed with a home run over the left field fence to give the Lady Tigers a 9-2 lead after six innings.

That would be all the run support that Murphy would need as she tossed a complete game in the circle allowing two unearned runs on eight hits. Murphy struck out five and walked just one and was 2-for-3 at the plate with three RBIs and a run scored.

Chapmanville had 12 hits in the contest led by Mahon with three hits and two RBIs. Sigmon had one hit and three RBIs and Christin had one hit, scored twice and drove in a run. Adkins, Baylee Belcher, Sydney Belcher, Dingess and Tomblin each had one hit apiece for the Lady Tigers.

Albright suffered the loss for the Lady Wildcats in the circle after giving up nine runs on 12 hits. She struck out nine and walked one in six innings.

Curry and Emilee Mullins each had two hits including a double for third-seeded Logan, who will face Mingo Central in an elimination game Tuesday. Quick had one hit and one RBI while Addison Brumfield, Elkins and Taylor Noe each had one hit for the Lady Wildcats.

Second-seeded Chapmanville will face either top-seeded Scott or fourth-seeded Wayne on Wednesday. The Lady Pioneers defeated fifth-seeded Mingo Central 17-4 in Monday’s sectional opener to earn the right to face the Lady Skyhawks.