SOUTH CHARLESTON – The Morgantown High softball team earned an impressive 3-0 victory over top-seeded Cabell Midland to begin Day 2 of the 2026 Class AAAA state softball tournament at Little Creek Park in South Charleston on Wednesday.
MHS senior Maddie Wisman threw her second consecutive complete-game shutout, allowing only one hit to the No. 1 Knights all morning.
The Robert Morris signee struck out six batters and walked three, but never allowed Cabell Midland to truly threaten to score.
Behind Wisman, the Mohigans’ defense put on a clinic, making multiple plays throughout the contest to earn crucial outs.
Cabell Midland pitcher Drea Watts earned 12 strikeouts, but MHS totaled five hits against the returning 2025 Player of the Year.
“Last night we got back to the hotel and watched some film and got some intel,” MHS head coach Lorri Lipscomb said. “And Maddie Wisman, who is a student of the game, was sitting there and going through every single batter for Cabell Midland and their tendencies. And we looked at Drea and her tendencies, and we executed the game plan we put together perfectly.”
Morgantown broke the ice in the third inning after a walk by Carper Messerly. Kayleigh White sacrificed Messerly to second with a bunt. On the play, Messerly rounded second, and it seemed she would be thrown out at third, but the ball hit her square between the numbers on her jersey as she took the base safely.
That allowed Wisman to come to the plate, but she flew out for the second out of the inning. However, Messerly tagged up on the catch and scored the go-ahead run.
Wisman continued to deal as MHS held the Knights scoreless inning after inning, eventually growing its lead.
Freshman Caroline Mallow and senior Grace Robinson each singled to begin the seventh inning.
Mallow advanced to third on a passed ball, and then doubled the lead on a ground ball by senior Madi Stone. MHS added a third run as Robinson trotted home when a pick-off attempt to third base by the Cabell Midland catcher got away.
Wisman sat down the Knights in order to end the game.
Morgantown will advance to play in the 2-0 game of the winners bracket in Class AAAA against No. 3 George Washington, who defeated University 1-0, at 6:30 p.m.
BOX SCORE
Morgantown 3, Cabell Midland 0
MHS 001 000 2 – 3 5 0
CMHS 000 000 0 – 0 1 1
Morgantown – Messerly 3100 White 2000 Wisman 3011 Street 3000 Smith 2000 Mallow 3110 G. Robinson 3110 Stone 3021 B. Robinson 3000 TOTALS 25 3 5 2
2B: Wisman
Cabell Midland – Conrad 2000 Hess 2000 Noe 3000 Harless 3000 Minton 3000 Salmons 2010 Morgan 2000 TOTALS 21 0 1 0
W: Wisman 7.0ip 1h oer 3bb 6k
L: Watts 7.0ip 5h 3er 2bb 12k
