MORGANTOWN — The Comeback Kids – Warriors all – are heading to South Charleston for the state softball tournament for the first time in school history.
Trinity overcame an early four-run deficit and, trailing by three in the final inning, pulled off a spectacular and thrilling 9-8 victory over Magnolia inside Lynch Field at Mylan Park to sweep the Class A Region I finals.
After retiring the first two Magnolia (5-8-1) hitters to start the game, Trinity pitcher Paige Hopkins caught a case of nerves, giving up a single, three straight walks, and a big 2-RBI single to Gabby Hudson. The two-out rally plated three Blue Eagles runs, and when Mallory McDiffitt knocked in Jessa Anderson in the second, the Warriors trailed early, 4-0.
Effective in the circle for Magnolia, McDiffitt stranded a pair of runners in scoring position in the second inning, but a nifty TCS third inning double play – Hopkins speared a liner, then alertly doubled the runner off second – seemed to energize the Trinity dugout and bats. Very good things often happen in threes, and a trinity of triples and singles, including four straight hits with two outs, vaulted the Warriors into the lead, 5-4.
After an uneventful fourth (save for a sprawling web gem from Trinity center fielder Peyton Moore), both pitchers hurled themselves out of jams in the fifth, Hopkins stranding a pair and McDiffitt inducing three straight infield pops after a lead off triple from TCS catcher Josalyn Phillips. Magnolia seemed to take back control of the game in the sixth, as they took advantage of a pair of infield errors and another crucial run-scoring single from McDiffitt (her fourth hit of the day) to put up a huge four-spot and regain the lead and then some, 8-5.
Both pitchers retired the side in order in the bottom of the sixth inning and the top of the seventh, setting up Trinity’s last ditch chance. For the second time, Moore led off a crucial inning with a scorching liner to the left-center wall and raced around to third for a catalyzing triple. Hopkins coaxed a walk, then Phillips lifted her second sacrifice fly of the game to score Moore, and aggressive baserunning from Hopkins induced two errors and allowed her to trot home and pull the Warriors within one.
Sometimes, with the bases clear, defenses can settle down and realize that just two more plays will send them to the handshake line, and the Blue Eagles wanted nothing more than to close this one out and host the regional rubber match at home the next day. However, the Warriors had other plans, as Marlo Flecker reignited the rally by lacing a double over third. Hannah Titus worked a walk, then Isabella Kelley drove in the tying run with a single and sent Titus to third with one out.
With the winning run just 60 feet away, Magnolia elected to bring the infield and outfield in and pitch to Olivia Timperio, but on a 1-2 pitch, she fought off a tough inside pitch, tapping it in the perfect spot about 12 feet up the first base line where no fielder could get to it in time. As Timperio raced past the swinging bunt, Titus roared home with the regional title, followed by a stream of Warriors as they raced behind the plate to celebrate.
“I’ll admit it, I was pretty nervous in the first inning,” Hopkins said with a mile-wide grin after the game. “We all were pretty tight I think, knowing what was at stake, and I was really getting a little worried when we weren’t hitting at the start. But once we got going in the third, especially with those triples (back-to-back from Moore and Hopkins, and later from Titus), I think everybody just took a breath and relaxed.
“And we never panicked, even after they took back the lead. When Peyton led off the seventh with that triple, it gave us a chance, and once we started to believe, it just got electric. We’ve done this all year, and we can’t wait to try and keep this energy going in Charleston.”
Surprisingly, Trinity coach Bryan Phillips insisted he was not especially concerned after the near disaster in the sixth.
“Of course, you’d like to be winning heading into the last inning,” he smiled, “But even though we were down three, we had the top of the order coming up, and they (Moore, Hopkins, and Phillips) have gotten the job done for us all year. This season, we have been trailing early pretty often, so we are comfortable with knowing how to come back. And we did it, and I couldn’t be prouder of them.
“This means everything to our program and these girls. I told them after we won sectionals that they were living history, actually making school history, and to enjoy every moment. Now we get one more road trip together, and get a chance to maybe make some noise down in Charleston. I know nobody expected us to make it there. I guarantee no team will enjoy it more than we will!”
Box score
Magnolia 310 004 0 – 8
Trinity 005 000 4 – 9
MAGNOLIA (5-8-1l)
Jessa Anderson ss 4 2 1 1 Sienna McKeever cf 4 1 1 1 Mallory McDiffitt p 4 1 4 3 Carolyn Heil c 3 1 0 0 Sophia Alexander 1b 2 1 0 0 Bella Sockman 3b 3 0 0 0 Gabby Hudson dp 4 1 1 2 Audri Quinn lf 4 0 0 0 Aerie Varner 2b 3 1 1 0 Olivia Hohman 0 0 0 0 Totals 31 8 8 7.
TRINITY (12-10)
Peyton Moore cf 4 2 2 0 Paige Hopkins p 3 2 1 1 Josalyn Phillips c 2 0 1 2 Marlo Flecker 3b 4 2 3 0 Hannah Titus 1b 3 2 1 1 Isabella Kelley 2b 3 1 2 2 Olivia Timperio dp-2b 4 0 2 2 Jillian Conn rf 2 0 0 0 Emma Jenkins ph 1 0 0 0 Arlie Humphreys lf 3 0 0 0 Luciana Citerone ss 0 0 0 0 Totals 29 9 12 8.
3B – MHS 1 (Anderson), TCS 5 (Moore 2, Hopkins, Phillips, Titus).
MHS – McDiffitt (L) 6.1 ip 9 r 8 er 11 h 3 bb 3 so.
TCS – Hopkins (W) 7 ip 8 r 6 er 8 h 4 bb 9 so.
