The West Virginia High School softball season may only be a week old, but both local teams have already come up against tough, aggressive opponents; both have secured wins; and both have grown by leaps in bounds both on and off the field in the process. The Tyler Consolidated Lady Knights and Paden City Lady Wildcats each have young teams, learning as they go, yet both continue to move forward, regardless of the obstacles before them.

Lady Knights

The Lady Knights of Tyler Consolidated are off to a good start in the 2012 season earning two wins to one loss after the first week of play.

On March 21 the Lady Knights played host to Parkersburg Catholic, putting together some solid hits to get the win, 9-1.

Consolidated started off the bottom of the first by plating three runs and added another in the bottom of the second to take the 4-1 lead in the game. A four run fourth inning gave the Silver and Black a decent lead and a run scored late in the sixth inning put the icing on the cake.

Junior Torrye Cline handled the circle duties for the entire game for the home team, striking out eight batters, walking one and giving up three hits. Myah Charkawi completed the battery.

At the plate, senior Jennifer Yost went 3-4 on the day with three singles; Alex Bubenchik hit two singles and one double for an RBI; Charkawi swatted two singles to plate three runners; Cline helped herself with a double and one RBI; and Megan Carpenter doubled in the game.

On March 22 the Knights were blanked by the Lady Rebels of Ritchie County, 17-0, after 12 runs were scored in the first inning to put the home team at a definite disadvantage.

Ritchie scored their 17 points on 14 hits while the Lady Knights committed six errors in the game.

Devinn Moore worked the circle for the Silver, giving up 14 hits, walking two and striking out three batters in three innings.

Offensively, Charkawi singled for Consolidated.

The Lady Knights turned up the heat on the same date with the Lumber Jills of Valley, handing their opponents the 16-8 loss in five innings.

A hitting frenzy of nine runs in the second and third inning earned the Silver 13 of their eventual 16 runs. The Knights had 15 hits in the game and committed six errors while Valley socred their eight runs on four hits and one error.

Both Devinn and Jasmine Moore held down the pitchers’ position in this one, with Devinn giving up four walks, two hits and striking out one, and Jasmine giving up two hits. Bubenchik completed the battery for both pitchers.

Offensive stats in the game for Consolidated include: Yost with one single and one RBI; Bubenchik went four-for-four on the day with four singles and one RBI; Charkawi hit two singles and one RBI; Taylor Clem smacked a single to plate one runner; Martina Parrish doubled and hit two singles for two RBI’s; Kali Mead singled twice to bring home a run; and Jasmine Moore singled.

At home again on March 27, the Lady Knights played host to Parkersburg Catholic, putting their win/loss record at an even 2-2 on the year with the 3-2 loss to the Crusaders.

The Ladies in Black scored two runs on four hits and had five errors in the game while Catholic scored their three on eight hits and had one error.

Sophomore pitcher, Jasmine Moore controlled the game from the pitcher’s circle with Charkawi completing the battery. Moore held her own in the contest, striking out four batters and walking one.

The Lady Knights will play at Magnolia on Wednesday and at Doddridge on Thursday. On Friday the team will host a formidable opponent in Williamstown, with the game to begin at 5 p.m.

Lady Wildcats

The Lady Wildcat varsity softball team also began their season last week, playing Bishop Donahue both away and in Paden City.

On March 20, the Ladies in Green and White traveled north to do battle with the Lady Bishops of Bishop Donahue, falling to the “other” Green team, 11-3.

Donahue scored their 11 runs on seven hits and had two errors while the ‘Cats scored three on one hit and committed no errors in the contest.

Junior ace pitcher, Kelsey Loy, took the loss with senior Dominique Craft completing the battery.

Paden City’s only hit of the day came off the bat of senior Amanda Heasley, who singled.

At home on March 21, the Lady Wildcats were on their game as they defeated a quick Hundred Hornet team, 11-7. The Ladies in Green put together a six run seventh inning to secure the win.

The ‘Cats scored their 11 runs on eight hits, and committed one error in the game. Hundred was credited with seven runs on four hits and had two errors.

Loy was at her best in the circle, throwing seven strike outs and seven walks. Amber Neff saw time at the “one” position, walking three. Craft completed the battery for both pitchers.

Offensively, Neff singled twice in the game to earn two RBI’s; Heasley doubled and singled to bring two runs home.

In Paden City on March 26, the Lady Wildcats faced off with Bishop Donahue for the second time in the young season, falling again to the up river team, 10-2.

The ‘Cats scored two runs on five hits and had three errors in the game while Bishop earned their 10 runs on nine hits.

Loy controlled the circle for the home team, walking three and striking out seven batters. Freshman Kayla Barker singled twice for the Lady ‘Cats.

Paden City will see action this week on March 28 when they travel to Hundred.

On March 29 the team will face off with Williamstown at home and will play at Beallsville on Friday and at St. Marys at noon on Saturday.