By Carl Holcomb, Moorefield Examiner
There were 17 moon shots launched in the 19th annual Bub Riggleman Memorial Softball Tournament between the championship teams and when the dust all settled, Petersburg emerged with a 17-1 shellacking over the Yellow Jackets.
Petersburg Softball’s Ella Markwell, Abigail Nettles, Miley Tingler and Cheyenne Sites each hammered home runs in the championship game against the Yellow Jackets.
The Vikings recorded 10 long balls during the entire tournament starting with four against Hedgesville in a 17-1 win by Ella Chew, Tingler, Markwell and Nettles.
“We always like coming to this tournament. We have won it four times now. We have a really good hitting team and our pitching got the job done. The home runs gave us more energy,” Petersburg Softball coach Dwayne Hedrick stated.
The path to the championship for the Vikings included wins against Spring Mills twice 10-2 and 10-nil with the latter having a pair of home runs by Tingler and Lacey Moyers, plus 11-3 win over Jefferson.
Petersburg moved to 17-3 on the season and won the Bub Riggleman Championship for the fourth time.
Softball in the area started in Moorefield by Bub Riggleman along with current Yellow Jackets Softball coach Jason Markwood. Riggleman and Markwood joined forces to coach the first Moorefield Little League Softball club to a state championship and played in the nationals in Virginia.
This tournament is held in memory and honor of Riggleman’s legacy and love for the sport of softball.
“Bub was my buddy. He started softball here in Moorefield. We wouldn’t be where we are today without him. We won the first little league softball state title together. We hit the ball well this entire tournament. I don’t know what it is about the Vikings, but whenever we see that ‘V”, this happens. We used up all our firepower before the championship. I don’t like being in second. Second place is like kissing your cousin,” Moorefield Softball coach Jason Markwood remarked.
Moorefield Softball crushed seven home runs during the course of the Bub Riggleman Tournament.
Brenna See paced the Yellow Jackets with three bombs including two against North Marion with the latter the game ending mercy rule shot for an 11-2 final and garnered the game-winning walk-off dinger against Musselman to claim an 8-7 win advancing to the championship.
Moorefield’s Grace Simmons and Kerigan Bergdall smothered one home run apiece against the Appleton, too.
Moorefield’s Sara Baldwin and Kerigan Bergdall each launched the ball to the moon against Williamsport in a 16-8 win.
The Yellow Jackets defeated Greenbrier West 9-1 in the second game of the tournament, but didn’t add home runs in that one.
“WE played really well in the tournament, until right now. It was a team effort to get to the championship. I am proud of our team and what we did together. [Home runs] I didn’t think much about the pitch, just see the ball – hit the ball,” Moorefield’s Brenna See noted.
Moorefield was in the Bub Riggleman Championship game for the first time since 2021.
The Yellow Jackets firepower was quieted in the title game and some uncharacteristic errors developed as Petersburg fired on all cylinders including four moon shots to take home the crown.
The Potomac Valley Conference featured Moorefield’s Emmy Crites and Brenna See joined Petersburg’s Miley Tingler (MVP) and Gracie Carpenter on the All-Tournament Team from the championship game and fellow Potomac Valley Conference representative Susan Vincell from Pendleton County accompanied them for the honor.
The Bub Riggleman All-Tournament Team members included: Brenna See, Lydia McClintock, Susan Vincell, Maya Ortega, Miley Tingler – (Tournament MVP), Alexis Wagner, Brilee Redden, Bre Stevens, Bella Talkington, Jersey Rummel, Jocilyn Graham, Kaitlyn Fergison, Emmy Crites, Gracie Carpenter and Leeann Martin.
It was a wonderful weekend of softball playing in honor of Bub RIggleman as 11 teams enjoyed the tournament.
