By Carl Holcomb
Moorefield Examiner
The Golden Tornado swirled Sager Field for three home runs shattering Moorefield Softball’s senior night party during a 7-3 victory.
Moorefield Softball honored its trio of seniors prior to the game with a special ceremony and had a post-game cookout: Carlee Haines (3B), Seanna Heavner (2B) and Hannah Snyder (RF).
Haines will be extending her softball career at Potomac State College of WVU and plans to study pre-nursing.
Heavner will attend Potomac State College of WVU with an intended major of business administration.
Snyder plans to study pre-veterinary medicine at Potomac State College of WVU.
“They are a very special group and such hard workers. They are very good leaders and great teammates. They will do anything I ask them to do and never complain. They have great personalities and will really be missed. They will be hard to replace which is something hopefully we can fill. They have a passion for the game and have played since they were teeny tots which is exciting. They play during the summer and year round with the fall ball. It is an awesome sport and teaches you many great life lessons and you get to build many special relationships. Keyser is talented. Honestly, we came out flat. I didn’t think we played well today. We held our own in the beginning, but I feel that wasn’t our fullest potential. I felt that we were too laid back and made too many errors. I told them this isn’t the time of year to do that. We have to pull it together and get ready for this week and the playoffs coming up,” Moorefield coach Bridget Sions commented.
Keyser’s Brianna O’Reilly, Brielle Root and Riley “Bibs” Felton smashed home runs in the win.
“We know Moorefield is a good team and can hit the ball well. Leighton did a good job keeping them off-balanced for the most part. Our hitting was a little stagnant there for a while, but we came alive. The home runs were nice, but the timely hits were good, too. When you play close games like this against good teams, it prepares you come playoff time,” Keyser coach Cody Spotts noted.
Moorefield pitcher Aryana Hinz allowed a leadoff double by Keyser’s Brielle Root into center field with the ball eluding CiCi Kump.
Moorefield left fielder Annie Barr caught the first out.
The Golden Tornado responded with a two-run blast by Bibs Felton for a 2-nil edge.
Hinz sandwiched two pop-ups around an error to retire the side with catches by first baseman Raleigh Kuykendall and shortstop Kerigan Bergdall.
Moorefield leadoff batter CiCi Kump singled on a sharp grounder to Keyser shortstop Bibs Felton which was bobbled giving time to reach base.
Keyser pitcher Leighton Johnson countered with a strikeout to Grace Simmons.
Emmy Crites reached base on an error for the Yellow Jackets.
Heavner plated Kump during a fielder’s choice error at second base, then Haines flew out.
Kuykendall smacked a game-tying RBI single, 2-all.
Snyder popped out to end the frame.
Keyser’s Kailynn Burns got on base with an error, but was stranded on catches by Heavner, Barr and Bergdall.
Johnson was notified of an illegal pitch, then Barr flew out to left field.
After a strikeout to Bergdall, Kump ripped a single into center field and was left on the pond with a pop-up by Simmons.
The Golden Tornado went down in order during the third inning on catches by Kump and Kuykendall before a grounder fielded by Bergdall.
Crites struck out, then Heavner hit a line drive to the third baseman, but it was in foul territory.
Heavner drew a full-count walk, then Haines hit into a double play catch by Felton and out at first base.
Keyser got two base runners aboard in the fourth inning on a walk and Heavner made a diving save and nearly got an out at second base on a single before the runners would be stranded on two catches by Bergdall and Barr.
Kuykendall tapped a single into center field, then Snyder hit into a double play groundout and out at third base and Johnson finished off the 1-2-3 order with a strikeout to Barr keeping the score deadlocked at 2-all.
Keyser regained the lead 3-2 on a solo home run by Root commencing the fifth inning.
The Yellow Jackets defense collected three straight outs.
After a pop-up by Bergdall, Kump launched a shot into left field which was dropped for an error assisted double.
Johnson responded with back-to-back strikeouts to Simmons and Crites.
Keyser’s Susanna Consent singled in the sixth inning, but was left on base with a pop-up, strikeout and groundout.
Heavner and Haines were jammed into pop-ups, then Kuykendall singled and was stranded on a line drive by Snyder.
The Golden Tornado opened the seventh inning with a solo home run hammered by O’Reilly for a 4-2 lead.
Keyser hit three consecutive singles by Root, Johnson and Felton with the latter creating two runs for a 6-2 advantage.
Hinz induced a groundout with Felton moving to third base, then Cosenza plated Felton on a groundout for a 7-2 score and a fly out retired the side.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Barr grounded out before Bergdall fired a double into center field for the Yellow Jackets.
Kump slapped an RBI single into left field cutting the deficit to 7-3.
Johnson answered with a strikeout to Simmons.
Moorefield responded with a single into left field by Crites.
Johnson closed the game with a strikeout to Heavner to seal Keyser’s 7-3 senior night crashing win.
