SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Jefferson’s resiliency was on display Wednesday in the opener of the Class AAA state tournament against John Marshall at Craft Field.
Down to their final out, the Cougars got a run-scoring single from Lacie Lewis to tie the game at 1, before continuing to ride a dominant pitching performance from Rebecca Munslow that prevented the Monarchs from scoring for nine straight innings. Jefferson then capitalized on several John Marshall miscues in the 11th, which along with four Cougar hits that inning enabled them to score five runs and claim a 6-2 victory.
“We played multiple extra-innings games between the regular season and sectionals, so they’re used to it,” Jefferson coach Desire’ Waters said. “It is hot out now, but they’re getting used to that. We strung them together right when we needed to. We wanted to string them together earlier, but that’s OK. They did a good job staying tough and they are very resilient.”
Jefferson (28-5) will face Lincoln County, while JMHS (21-9) will look to avoid elimination later Wednesday against St. Albans.
“It’s huge to win your first game to keep out of the loser’s bracket from the get go,” Waters said.
Kadence Pettit was one out from recording a complete game shutout, but Lewis delivered a sharp single to center field, allowing courtesy runner Kendall Guy to score the tying run from third base. Guy had come on to run for Munslow, who led off with a single and advanced to third on that play courtesy of the game’s first error.
Pettit retired the next two batters without allowing the tying run, but Lewis’ knock prolonged the game.
The Cougars got the go-ahead run to third with one out in the eighth, but Pettit buckled down and got consecutive ground ball outs to keep it tied at 1.
John Marshall had two on with one out in the eighth, but Munslow escaped trouble to send the game to the ninth.
Although JHS couldn’t muster any offense in the ninth or 10th innings, Munslow prevented the Monarchs from generating a baserunner in both frames.
The Cougars then capitalized on consecutive errors to start the 11th that allowed Christina Franco and Munslow to reach. Brooke Allen followed by sending a ground ball to third that was first misplayed and then thrown away, allowing Franco to score for a 2-1 Jefferson lead.
Chloe Cowan’s infield single brought Munslow home for a third Jefferson run, while Lewis’ groundout to second enabled Allen to score for a 4-1 lead.
Later in the 11th, Taylor Presley and Kalee Dalton each added an RBI single that left the Cougars with a 6-1 advantage as the game moved to the home half of the inning.
In the bottom of the frame, Adrianna Skrzyneki doubled the Monarchs’ run total with a two-out RBI, single, but that was all the offense the Monarchs could muster.
Over her 11-inning effort, Munslow allowed six hits and walked three, while striking out nine in the victory.
“She has grit and that’s pretty much what drives her,” Waters said of Munslow. “She’s tough and competitive, but most importantly she trusts her teammates.”
Pettit also tossed 11 innings and allowed 12 hits. She struck out 10 and issued three base-on-balls in defeat. Seven of Jefferson’s 12 hits came in extra innings, while all but three came after the sixth.
Sophia Adkins’ solo home run in the first inning marked all the scoring until the seventh. While John Marshall’s Ava Blake followed Adkins’ round-tripper with her first of two doubles, that marked the Monarchs’ final runner in scoring position until the sixth.