Lady Wildcats win first-ever title

CHARLESTON — Pendleton County is celebrating its first-ever state championship in softball after defeating Wahama 9-1 in five innings Thursday at Little Creek Park.

The Lady Wildcats turned in a dominant performance in the two-day event, outscoring their three opponents, 27-1.

Baylee Beachler, who was the winning pitcher in all three contests, twirled a two-hitter and fanned seven in Thursday’s title game.

For the tourney, the senior was the winning pitcher in all three games, allowing five total hits, only one extra-base hit and striking out 22 batters in 16 innings.

Beachler, who has signed to play at Robert Morris, was named to the all-tourney team, along with teammates Avery Townsend, Lizzie Alt, Susan Vincell and Julia Mongold.

While Beachler shined on the mound, Townsend was a force at the plate for Pendleton County in the tourney.

She went 3 for 4 in the title game, with her two-run single in the bottom of fifth ending the game early due to the mercy rule.

Beachler also helped her cause on the mound at the plate, going 2 for 2 with a double and two runs scored.

Alt, meanwhile, went 2 for 3 with two doubles and three RBIs against the Lady White Falcons.

The Lady Wildcats took a 2-0 lead in the first on RBI groundouts by Jenna Smith and Alt.

Pendleton County made it 6-0 in the third as Alt doubled in Beachler, Vincell’s single plated Alt and Chesnee Colaw cracked a two-run single.

Alt’s second double of the day brought home Lexi Tingler in the fourth.

Wahama tallied its lone run in the fifth on Elissa Hoffman’s RBI groundout.

The remainder of the Class A all-tourney team included Hoffman and teammate Payton Staats, Greenbrier West’s Brilee Redden and Maddie Fields and Trinity’s Peyton Moore.

Pendleton County finished with a 32-2 mark under head coach Eric Crites.

In Class AA action, Oak Glen defeated Petersburg, 10-2, in Thursday’s title contest.

The Lady Vikings had stayed alive with a 5-3 win over Logan earlier in the day.

Petersburg finished as state runner-ups for the second straight season.

Shyane Tawney, Miley Tingler and Ella Chew represented Petersburg on the Class AA all-tournament team.