BY KYLE LOVERN
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
NAUGATUCK, W.Va. — Tug Valley fought through three intense Class A Region 4 tournament games leading up to the final. They crushed St. Joseph 30-0, rallied past Wahama 6-5 and then fell 7-0 in the semifinals, forcing a winner-take-all showdown Saturday.
Wahama 7, Tug Valley 0
Staring down elimination against Tug Valley in the Region 4, Class tourney, the visiting Wahama softball team defeated the Lady Panthers 7-0 on May 15. That forced a winner-take-all game May 16.
On Friday, pitcher Gracie Banks only allowed two hits from the potent Tug Valley offense and pitched a shutout to gain the win.
Leading 1-0, Wahama added two runs in the third inning. Banks singled, making the score 3-0.
Bailee Hall took the loss for Tug Valley. The right-handed pitcher went seven innings, surrendering seven runs (three earned) on nine hits, striking out three and walking one.
Paisley Bolyard went 2-for-3 at the plate to lead the Panthers in hitting.
Tug Valley 6, Wahama 5
The Lady Panthers advanced in the Class A, Region 4 softball semifinals at Tug Valley on May 13. The No. 3-ranked and second-seeded Lady Panthers defeated Wahama 6-5, improving to 22-6 overall and 2-0 in regional play and advancing to the championship round of the double-elimination tournament.
The game was tied at 5-5 in the bottom of the sixth inning when Caylee Steele’s single gave Tug Valley a one-run lead.
Tug Valley rallied for the victory despite trailing 5-0 in the third inning.
Bailee Hall earned the win for Tug Valley in relief. The right-handed hurler gave up three hits and one run over five innings, striking out six and walking one. Gracie Banks took the loss in the circle for Wahama.
Paisley Bolyard went 2-for-4 at the plate to lead the Lady Panthers in hits. Payton Workman, Bolyard, Emma Lackey and Steele each drove in one run for TV.
Tug Valley only needed one more win to advance to its first-ever state tournament. The No. 4-ranked and third-seeded Wahama dropped to 19-11 and fell into the loser’s bracket of the double-elimination regional.
Lady Panthers crush St. Joe 30-0
Emma Lackey belted two home runs and drove in five runs as Tug Valley pounded St. Joseph of Huntington 30-0 on May 12 in the first game of the Class A regional tourney.
Bailee Hall pitched a no-hitter and struck out 10 batters on the day.
Tug Valley racked up 27 hits in the game. Lackey and Caylee Steele each collected five hits for the Panthers. Paisley Bolyard also had five RBIs for TVHS.
Katie Hall also smacked a home run. She, along with Zoey Hensley, Gracie Hynd and Ryleigh Baisden each collected multiple hits for Tug Valley.
St. Joe intentionally walked Bailee Hall five times.
Tug Valley opened the scoring in the bottom of the first thanks to three singles. The Lady Panthers first got on the board when Lackey singled, scoring one run.
They added to their early lead in the bottom of the second inning after Bolyard tripled to right field, K. Hall doubled down the left field line, Lackey tripled down the left field line, Hynd singled to right field, and Steele singled down the right field line, each scoring one run.
The Lady Panthers scored 21 runs on 17 hits in the bottom of the third inning. Hall homered to center field, scoring two runs, Steele singled, scoring two runs, Baisden singled, scoring one run, Hensley singled, scoring two runs, Bolyard singled, scoring three runs, Hall singled, scoring one run, Lackey hit a solo home run to left field, Steele doubled, scoring one run, Baisden singled, scoring one run, Bolyard singled, scoring three runs, Hall doubled, scoring one run, Lackey homered to center field, scoring two runs, and Hynd hit a solo inside the park home run.
Kate Oxley took the loss for St. Joseph Irish. The hurler went four innings, allowing 30 runs (21 earned) on 27 hits, striking out one and walking six.