South Charleston – Midland Trail got off to a hot start in Tuesday’s Class A state tournament game.
Unfortunately the joy was short lived.
Ritchie County scored nine unanswered runs, beating Trail 9-1 in five innings at Little Creek Park.
Trail’s Sydney Sheets got the scoring rolling with a solo home run in the top of the first but Ritchie’s Chloe Elliott drove in two in the bottom of the frame. Jayci Gray kept it rolling, hitting a two-run home run to cap a four-run inning.
Trail had an opportunity to cut the deficit in the fourth, but stranded the bases loaded. Ritchie poured it on, scoring four in the fourth to invoke the mercy rule.
Trail will play Petersburg at 5:30 on Tuesday in an elimination game.
Ritchie County 9, Midland Trail 1 (5 inn.)
MTHS 100 00 – 1 6 0
RCHS 401 4x – 9 11 0
WP: Chloe Elliott 5IP, 6H, R, ER, 9SO
LP: Emily Lopetrone 4.2IP, 8H, 9R, 9ER, 8K
Meghan Gill .1IP, SO
Midland Trail leading hitters: Sydney Sheets 1-3, R, solo HR (1st), RBI; Emily Lopetrone 1-2; Meghan Gill 1-2; Madison Campbell 1-2; Malayla Thompkins 1-2
Ritchie County leading hitters: Alyvia Pittman 2-3, 2R; Marissa Jeffrey 2-3, 2R; Chloe Elliott 1-3, 2RBIs; Olivia Dodd 2-3, 2R, 2B, 2RBIs; Jayci Gray 2-3, 2R, 2-R HR (1st), 2RBIs; Lillie Law 2-3, 2B, 2RBIs
