VIENNA, W.Va. — As Wheeling Central crowned its dominant softball season with the Class A championship, sophomore Riley Bennington pondered the satisfaction.
“Early in the season we had a feeling that if we kept working hard no one could beat us,” she said.
Bennington’s two-run double highlighted a six-run first-inning outburst that carried the Maroon Knights to a 7-2 win over Man in Thursday’s state final. The perfect ending to a 33-0 season came one day after Wheeling Central needed a final at-bat rally against Man.
“Today we just came out hitting and it gave us some breathing room,” said Knights coach Rick Magruder.
Man (24-7) collected only four hits against Marissa Garlitz, not enough to overcome the big early deficit.
“One big inning, when you get to this level, usually makes the difference,” said LadyBillies coach Randy Epperly. “We’re still proud of them, though, because we had a good season. We’ll be back. We’re not strangers to this place.”
Sophomore Bailey Rehm started Wheeling Central’s early onslaught with a leadoff single—the first of six hits in the inning, including Jai’Ehir Jackson’s two-run double.
The Maroon Knights won their first title since 2007.
“It’s amazing what these girls accomplished,” Magruder said. “There’s not many teams that can say they were 33-0 and won a state championship.”
Man 8, Williamstown 0: Haylee Daniels pitched a three-hitter while striking out nine as the LadyBillies coasted through Thursday morning’s elimination game.
Man collected 14 hits, three by catcher Sydney Keffer, who had an RBI double in the third and a key single in a five-run sixth.
Nellie King had two singles for Williamstown (16-16) while taking the loss in the circle.