Riders reach 20 wins again

WEIRTON — The Weir softball team had multiple reasons to celebrate Tuesday evening.

Weir scored three early runs and did not look back en route to defeating Linsly, 7-1, up at the Roberta “Birdie” DeFrancis Softball Field.

The Red Riders celebrated the win which was the team’s 20th of season, and the win came on Weir’s Senior Day as the Red Riders honored their five seniors.

“It was another good day,” Weir (20-4) head coach John Leary said. “Having 20 wins in a season in softball is a good season because you are limited to 32 games. Twenty wins is a milestone. We have won games in three out of the last four years. We had a losing record three years ago, but we have had 20 wins in back-to-back seasons. Winning 20 games is an accomplishment.

“Eliza did a nice job on the mound.

“We just aren’t hitting the ball really well. We are not squaring the ball up. We had some soft hits, but we’ll take it. Seven runs is seven runs. We tell the girls if we put the ball in play, good things will happen. We haven’t hit the ball hard the last couple of games.

“We have three tough games coming up with Harrison Central tomorrow, Big Red Thursday and then Wheeling Park Friday. Those are three big games for OVAC points. We are going to have to be ready to play.

“Their pitcher did a nice job. She moved the ball around the plate. She kept us off-balance. She did a nice job.”

The victors had a chance to end the game in the sixth, but a flyout ended the threat. The visitors scored a run on a groundout in the seventh to account for their lone run of the game.

“Twenty wins for us older guys is like a starting pitcher in the Major Leagues getting 20 wins,” Leary said. “A starting pitcher in the Major Leagues gets about 32 starts a year, so it is comparable. To play 32 games and to win 20 games, that’s a very solid season.”

Eliza Utt picked up the win for the Red Riders. Utt struck out 10 and walked one

Brenna Gardill took the loss for the Cadets (3-11). She struck out three and walked two.

Offensively, Weir outhit Linsly, 11-4. The Red Riders recorded one extra-base hit in the game, while the Cadets tallied three.

For Weir, Bella Weber tallied a single, a double and two RBI, Rayna Hoover recorded two singles and two RBI and Utt collected two singles and an RBI. Also, Loganne Barton and Gigi Paladina each contributed a single and an RBI and Jaidyn Kelly added a single.

Alyssa Heath smacked a pair of double for the girls from Ohio County, while Macy Sustick belted one. Also, Aubrei Joanou tallied a single and Mackenzie Gaphrey produced an RBI.

Weir scored a run in the bottom of the first to take an early 1-0 lead, and the girls from Hancock County plated a pair of runs in the third to increase their advantage to 3-0.

The Red Riders did not score in the fourth or fifth innings before recording four runs in the sixth to extend their advantage out to 7-0.

The win enabled Weir to sweep the season series from Linsly. The Red Riders defeated the Cadets, 10-2, March 28 on the road in the first meeting of the season between the two teams.

Weir honored its five seniors – Elle Maley, Kylie Dean, Hoover, Kelly and Paladina – before the game.

“It is always nice to win on your Senior Day,” Leary said. “These girls started with me when I took over the program. They have been with me all four years. They are great kids who come from great families. Good teams need good kids. They need kids who are dedicated and parents who are dedicated. These kids come from great families.

“The girls support each other. There is no selfishness. It doesn’t matter what team or what sport you coach you want kids who are not selfish, and these girls are not selfish. We get great support from their families. They raise money so we can take our trip to Tennessee every year. They raise money to help the program in other ways. We have great support from our parents. You need that support to have a successful program. I appreciate every thing they do for us a great deal.”

Weir is scheduled to play Harrison Central at 5 p.m. today on the road. The Red Riders shut out the Huskies, 9-0, back on March 27 at home.

Linsly is slated to play Toronto at 5:30 p.m. today at home.

Weir 7, Linsly 1

Linsly 000 000 1 – 1 4 1

Weir 102 004 X – 7 11 0

LINSLY (3-11): Gardill LP (3K, 2BB) and Sustik. Sustik D; Joanou S; Heath 2D; M. Gaphery RBI .

WEIR (20-4): Utt WP (10K, 1BB) and Barton. Utt 2S, RBI; Hoover 2S, 2RBI; Barton S, RBI; Lash 2S; Weber S, D, 2RBI; Kelly S; Paladina S, RBI.