VIENNA — The story book season that was 2008 has come to an end for the Scott High School. The Skyhawks came up one game short of a state softball title with a loss to the Point Pleasant Lady Knights 3-2 in the Class AA West Virginia state high school softball tournament held in Vienna last week.

Scott won its opening game of the tournament with a 13-3 victory over Lincoln on Wednesday morning. However, Wednesday afternoon, Scott fell into the loser's bracket with an 8-2 loss to Point Pleasant. The Lady Skyhawks bounced back on Thursday morning by defeating Shady Spring, 7-1 to put them in the title game on Thursday afternoon, but came up short on the 3-2 decision. Point Pleasant claimed the Class AA title behind the pitching and hitting of junior Tessa Wyant. Wyant picked up three wins in the state tournament and her home run in the title game was the game winner for the Knights.

Point Pleasant 3, Scott 2

With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, Wyant homered off Scott starting and losing pitcher Holly Turley to break a 2-2 tie and eventually give Point Pleasant the Class AA state title.

The Skyhawks had a chance in the top of the seventh to tie or even go ahead in the contest, but went down 1-2-3, giving Point Pleasant the win.

The Lady Knights got on the board first in the bottom of the third inning.  With two outs, third baseman Devin Cottrell tripled and scored on an error by the Lady Hawk outfield.

Catcher Alissa Darst then drew a walk off Turley and scored on shortstop Anna Sommer's double to left.  At the end of three complete, the score was Point 2, Scott 0.

However, the Skyhawks wouldn't go down in the game without a fight and knotted the score at 2-2 in the top of the fifth.

Sophomore Katie Tadlock led off the fifth with a double and went to third on a wild pitch.  After junior designated hitter Brooke Bell was called out on a bunt third strike, sophomore centerfielder Ciera Bias walked and then stole second.  Freshman second baseman Hannah Griffith also drew a walk off Wyant to load the bases with one out.  Tadlock then scored on a wild pitch, with Bias and Griffith advancing to third and second respectively.

Bias crossed the plate on an infield error by the Knights to tie things up at two, and Griffith moved to third.

However, Wyant got out of the jam as she induced Scott senior shortstop Rachel Holstein to strike out and senior catcher Kohle Maynard to fly out to right.

That set the stage for Wyant's sixth inning, game winning round-tripper that gave Point the win and the AA crown. 

Turley was the loser on the mound, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits.  The Skyhawks committed one error.

Wyant was the winner on the rubber, allowing two runs on four hits.  PP finished with one miscue.

The Scott offense was led by Tadlock who collected two hits (including a double) and scored a run.

Maynard and freshman left fielder Kelsey Leadman also added base hits in a losing effort, while Bias scored a run.

Scott 13  Lincoln 3

The Black and Gold opened the tournament on Wednesday by disposing of Lincoln 13-3.

Maynard and Tadlock provided the offensive fireworks as both played long ball off Cougar pitching.

Tadlock's shot came in the fifth with one aboard and Maynard's blast came with one aboard in the sixth.

The Lady Hawks plated four runs in the third, two in the fourth, three in the fifth, two in the sixth, and two in the seventh.

Lincoln got two in the second and one in the seventh.

Maynard finished the game going 2-4, including a home run and a double.  The senior catcher collected three RBI and scored two runs. 

Tadlock added two hits, including a homer, two RBI, and two runs scored.

Junior third baseman Krissy Smith added three hits including a double, one RBI, and three runs scored; Bias and Griffith went 2-5 with a run scored and Bias added two RBI.

Holstein had a triple, three RBI, and two runs scored and Leadman and Bell each finished with a hit while Bell scored a run.

Turley was 1-1 with a double, a run scored, and an RBI.  She also picked up the win on the mound.  In five innings of work, the senior allowed two runs (both unearned) on no hits, while striking out four.  Smith came on the fifth and closed things out to pick up the save.  She allowed only run on one hit with two strike outs.

The win was Turley's 20 in 23 tries.

Scott 2  Point Pleasant 8

On Wednesday afternoon, the Lady Knights erupted for five runs in the bottom of the sixth to put away the Hawks 8-2.

However, Scott jumped on the Knights in the first inning when Bias singled, went to second on a wild pitch, and was sacrificed to third by Griffith.

She then scored on a ground out by Holstein to give Scott a 1-0 lead after a half inning of play.

Point plated their first run in the second on a pair of singles and a Scott infield error.  They got another run in the fourth on a triple and another error by the Hawk infield. 

and upped their lead to 3-1 with another run in the fifth on a walk, a fielder's choice, and a single.

Then, in the bottom of the sixth, the wheels came off for the Lady Hawks.  Point Pleasant scored five runs in the bottom of the sixth on three walks, a fielder's choice (no out), a sacrifice fly, and three base hits for an 8-1 lead.

Scott got its final run in the top of the seventh when sophomore first baseman Abby Boyce walked with one out.  An error by the PP infield allowed Leadman to reach base, and Smith followed with a single to load the bases.  Tadlock then singled to right, scoring Boyce for an 8-2 Point advantage.  With bases still loaded, Bell struck out and Bias lined out to the first baseman to end the game.

Tadlock collected two hits to lead the Skyhawks.  She also finished with an RBI.

Bias, Maynard, and Smith also added hits for Scott.  Bias and Boyce scored the Hawks' runs.

Turley (20-4) suffered the loss on the mound giving up eight runs on eight hits; she fanned five and the Lady Hawks committed three errors.  The loss dropped Scott into the loser's bracket.

Scott 7  Shady Spring 1

The Black and Gold bounced back on Thursday morning with a 7-1 win over Shady Spring. 

Smith pitched a gem, firing a one-hitter.  She finished with six Ks.

Leadman was the leader offensively with a 2-4 showing that included a double, an RBI, and a run scored; Maynard also collected two hits, an RBI, and a run scored.

Bias was 2-3; Holstein went 1-4 with a run scored; Boyce added a hit and an RBI.  Smith was 1-4 with a run scored and Bell had a hit and a run scored.

Turley added a double and two RBI to pace the Hawk effort, while Griffith and Tadlock each scored runs.

The win sent Shady packing to go home, while the Lady Hawks would get one more chance at the Lady Knights.  However, Point went on to claim the AA title with a 3-2 win.

 

****Tournament Notes****

The Lady Hawks and the Lady Knights each put four on the All-Tournament Team.  Shady Spring placed two on the elite squad.  Making the squad from Scott were Holstein, Smith, Turley, and Maynard.

 

Against Wyant and Point Pleasant, Tadlock finished with an impressive 4-6 showing that included a double, an RBI and a run scored.  The sophomore batted .500 for the tournament (6-12) with three RBI and four runs scored.

Maynard was 6-13 for a .457 batting average and four RBI.   The senior catcher finished with a .538 on-base percentage and .692 slugging percent.

Smith also made a good showing at the plate going 5-14 (.357).  She scored four runs.

Turley was brought in to pinch hit with runners on base and she didn't disappoint.  In two trips to the plate, Turley was 2-2 with two doubles and three RBI.

 

The state tournament championship game was the final time that Holstein, Turley and Maynard would don a Skyhawk uniform.

Future plans for the trio include college, but Holstein is currently undecided about where.  Turley will attend Fairmont State, and Maynard has signed on to play softball with Glenville State.

 

Holstein, Turley, and Maynard will play for the South in the annual North-South All-Star game at Buffalo on June 19.

 

Maynard will also compete in the West Virginia All-Stars versus the Ohio All-Stars game at Rio Grande College on June 9.