Murphy's near perfect game leads Lady Tigers to second straight sectional crown
- Bill Lusk
- 22 hours ago
- 2 min read
Bill Lusk | WVOW Sports
HAMLIN Chloe Murphy continued to own the pitcher's circle in the Class AAA Region 4 Section 2 tournament Friday evening at Lincoln County High School.
Murphy was near perfect for second-seeded and seventh ranked Chapmanville (16-6) in the championship game of the Class AAA Region 4 Section 2 tournament against top-seeded and fourth ranked Lincoln County. She struck out 12 batters and allowed just one hit for the Lady Tigers in a 3-0 win over the Lady Panthers to secure a second straight sectional championship for Chapmanville.
Murphy was one out away from a perfect game when Lincoln County pitcher Arien Cooper singled with two outs in the seventh to break up Murphy's bid for a perfect game.
In three tournament games, Murphy allowed no runs, eight hits, walked seven and struck out 36 in 21 innings in the circle for Chapmanville.
The Lady Tigers will host game one of the Class AAA Region 4 championship series set to begin May 19 against two-time Class AA champion and No. 1 Winfield (23-6).
Cooper allowed three unearned runs on three hits with eight strikeouts and five walks for Lincoln County (17-10), who committed five errors.
In the second inning, Mady Farley reached on an error that allowed Peyton Lusk to score giving Chapmanville a 1-0 lead.
That would more than enough run support for Murphy, who set down the first 18 hitters she faced in the Lincoln County lineup.
The Lady Tigers tacked on two more runs in the seventh inning when Murphy reached on an error scoring Hannah Miller and Brooke Christian for a 3-0 lead.
Murphy struck out Jillian Starcher and Keirstin Ross for the first two outs before Cooper singled on a 1-0 pitch for the lone Lady Panther hit. Following Cooper's single, Murphy got Abbie Jeffers to fly out to shortstop Laken Parks for the final out.
Christian, Lusk and Miller each had one hit, and each scored one run for the Lady Tigers.