WEIRTON, W.Va. – Rayna Hoover homered twice and drove in four runs, powering Weir to a 12-4 win over rival Oak Glen in the Region 1, Section 1 Championship Game.
It is Weir’s first sectional championship since 2018.
Hoover ended the game the same way she started it. Hoover blasted a two-run homer over the left field fence in the bottom of the first inning to give the Red Riders an early 2-0 edge. She went yard again in the bottom of the fifth inning. This two-run homer gave Weir an eight-run lead, ending the game.
“I thought we had to play another inning and then I was at home plate and everybody said the game’s ending and I thought ‘well, that’s convenient,’” said Hoover.
The junior finished the game 3-for-3 with two homers and four runs batted in.
“Rayna came up big again today,” said veteran Coach John Leary. “She’s been carrying us in the postseason. She got us started off early with a two-run homer and then walks it off, which was kind of appropriate.”
While Hoover led the offense, pitcher Eliza Utt battled the Oak Glen bats and a steady rain shower throughout the afternoon. Utt allowed four runs on seven hits.
“She’s been a workhorse and no matter what’s going on with her, she just battled through it. She doesn’t let things bother her. She’s been really good at working through stuff. She’s a tough kid and a mentally tough kid,” said Leary.
Hoover’s two-run homer in the first inning gave Weir the early 2-0 lead but Oak Glen plated the next four runs. Sophomore Danica Holden hit a solo homer in the top of the first, then the Golden Bears pushed three runs across the plate in the top of the third. Addison Smith’s RBI single tied the game 2-2. Oak Glen took a 4-2 lead, scoring on a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly.
“I struggled at first. It was raining and I couldn’t get a good grip,” admitted Utt. “The rain didn’t really bother me, I was just a little frustrated. After I settled down and realized what was going on I did pretty good.”
Weir roared back with eight runs in the bottom of the third. Hoover led off the inning with a single and back-to-back walks loaded the bases. Elle Maley broke the game open with a line drive into left-center field that drove in two runs. Utt added an RBI single, while the Red Riders took advantage of Oak Glen miscues to take a commanding 10-4 lead.
Weir ended the game in the bottom of the fifth on Hoover’s tenth homer of the season.
“These kids have been tough-minded,” said veteran Coach John Leary. “There have been a lot of games, where we’ve been down multiple runs. They don’t seem to care and they just battle and battle and battle, even if it’s chipping away or if it’s one big inning, they’ve really been resilient.”
Weir is moving on to the regionals for the first time in six years and doing so without any seniors on the roster.
“We’re a really young team. I think we’ve done a lot more than anybody expected us to this season if I’m being honest,” assessed Hoover. “I feel like we’re the underdogs or whatever but I really like the atmosphere on this team.”