Morgantown outlasts Buckhannon-Upshur in shootout, 16-7

Both teams combined for 28 hits with the Mohigans out-hitting the Buccaneers by a 19 to 9 margin.

Madison Wiseman paced Morgantown’s offensive eruption, finishing a perfect 4-for-4 with a home run, double while scoring four runs and adding as many RBIs.

Both Alyssa Abel and Kailey Hart made the most of their lone hits, hammering home runs while Avery Hamer and Reese Curry turned in multi-hit outings to lead a valiant losing offensive effort for Buckhannon-Upshur.

“For the better part of the game we pushed what I believed is the No. 9-ranked team in the state in Morgantown to the brink,” Buckhannon-Upshur coach Levi Bender said. “I was very pleased with our offensive production, it was definitely where it needed to be for us to be competitive and possibly even win this game.”

“I felt that from the top to bottom of our order, someone contributed somehow and helped us make it a game,” Bender said. “Defensively, we have a few things to clean up and tried a different pitching rotation out.”

Micah Wilson collected the win for Morgantown, surrendering just a single earned run on four hits while striking out nine batters after tossing the final five innings in relief to seal the win.

Becca Pastorius was credited with the loss in the circle for the Buccaneers after getting the starting nod and tossing the opening three innings.

Neither offense wasted any time lighting up the scoreboard, combining for seven runs in the opening inning.

Morgantown got things started with Anne Robinson scoring on a Wilson ground out to second.

The very next at-bat, Wisman slashed a two-run home run, scoring both herself and Emily Peterson after driving a line drive over the left-field fence.

Beth Robinson capped off the Mohigans’ initial surge by sending a fly ball double to left, plating Jolene Deane to give Morgantown a four-run lead entering the bottom of the first.

Facing a full-count, Abel fired back for the Buccaneers, clearing the bases with a three-run home run over the center-field fence, scoring herself, Jansen Kimble and Kynnedy Marple to trim Morgantown’s lead to just a run entering the top of the second.

Morgantown tacked on a pair of runs onto their lead in the top of the second as Emily Peterson doubled deep to right to score Anne Robinson before getting plated herself as Wilson singled on a line drive to center.

Trailing 6-4 in the bottom of the third, the Buccaneers regained momentum as Taylor Spratt raked a ground ball single to right, scoring Abel.

Hart kept things rolling on the next at-bat, smashing a two-run home run of her own, scoring herself and Spratt to tie the game at 6-all.

The Buccaneers bumped ahead later in the inning as Curry belted a line drive deep to right, freeing up Hamer to come across for the go-ahead run.

Yet the Buccaneers lead was short-lived as Morgantown responded with four runs of their own in the top of the fourth.

Who else but Wisman got things started, connecting with a line drive double to center, scoring both Alsop and Carper Messerly, giving the Mohigans a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

Wisman scored as Paige Rhodes doubled on a line drive to left on the very next at-bat before Beth Robinson capped off the inning with a sacrifice fly to right, plating Deane.

With the Buccaneers unable to respond, the Mohigans pulled away for good, tallying four runs in the sixth and two more in the seventh for good measure to seal the win.

“Overall I feel this was a good late regular season game to build off of and gave us valuable experience as we look ahead into sectionals,” Bender said. “I think that with performances like this against that level of competition, even in a loss will help earn our program respect.”

On Friday, Morgantown (15-7) will remain on the road, traveling to play Brooke at 5 p.m., while Buckhannon-Upshur (12-15) will attempt to rebound, hosting Liberty at 6:30 p.m.