SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Keyser had lost the lead and its momentum when Point Pleasant produced a four-run fifth inning to turn a two-run deficit into a 5-3 lead.
The No. 5 Golden Tornado wasted no time responding and saw seven consecutive batters reach base with two outs in the sixth, amounting to a five-run frame that allowed Kesyer to take control on its way to an 8-5 victory in a WVSSAC Class AAA State Tournament contest at The Rock Field B at Little Creek Park.
The result sends KHS (24-6) to the winner’s bracket where a matchup against top seed John Marshall awaits. The No. 4 seed Black Knights (25-9) play No. 8 Robert C. Byrd later Tuesday in an elimination game.
PPHS looked to be in control when pitcher Rylan MacKnight retired the first two batters to start the top of the sixth shortly after her team put up a four spot in the bottom of the fifth to go on top.
A two-out single from Tavery Lyons that looked rather harmless instead amounted to much more. The Golden Tornado continued to pass the bat and got a double from Kailynn Burns to put two in scoring position.
Leighton Johnson followed with a two-run single to knot the affair at 5.
Following Aleah Smith’s infield single, Sophie Lambka hit a two-run double to center and the Golden Tornado led 7-5.
Bibs Felton worked a walk and Brielle Root added a run-scoring single for the sixth Keyser hit across seven at bats, allowing the Golden Tornado to up their advantage to three.
Johnson fed off pitching with a lead down the stretch and retired the side in order in the home half of the sixth. She followed suit with the first two batters of the seventh, before Josie Shobe prolonged the game with a triple to right.
Point Pleasant was unable to get the tying run to the plate as Bralee Roush hit a liner to shortstop that was caught by Felton for the final out.
Roush drove in the game’s first run with a single in the first that put the Black Knights in front early.
That advantage held up until the fourth when Felton drilled a solo home run to center.
Felton’s blast ignited a lineup that had failed to produce a baserunner outside of her first-inning triple and solo shot up to that point. Root followed with a single and courtesy runner Addy Paugh later scored on a groundout, while a single from Burns later in the fourth left Point Pleasant facing a 3-1 deficit.
After failing to produce a baserunner in the second and third innings, PPHS had two on with one out in the fourth, but squandered that opportunity and Johnson struck out McKnight to end the threat.
The fifth was a different story though as the Black Knights loaded the bases via consecutive bunt singles and a walk, before Roush cleared them with a two-out triple to left-center.
Brynn Rosh followed with a single to make it four two-out runs in the inning, but it wouldn’t be enough.
Root, Burns and Felton had two hits apiece in the win, which went to Johnson. She struck out seven and walked one, while surrendering eight hits in seven innings.
Bralee Roush had two hits and four RBI in defeat. MacKnight allowed 10 hits across seven innings. She had three strikeouts and issued a pair of walks.
Point Pleasant will face No. 8 Robert C. Byrd in an elimination game later Tuesday.