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WEIRTON -- The Weir softball team was on the ropes early against University.
The Hawks landed some big shots early on, and they landed their final blows in the fifth en route to a 12-0 victory in five innings against the Red Riders Thursday at Weir.
"If it was a fight, they would have stopped it," Weir (7-4) head coach John Leary said. "It was a second round knockout.
"We continue to have self-inflicted wounds. I'm going to tell you the same thing I said the other day. When you play good teams and you make six errors, you have zero chance to win. Everyone of our infielders made an error. You're not going to win against good teams when you do that. We can't continue to have six errors. That's easy to figure out.
"They are a good team. They have a freshman pitcher – Campbell – who is excellent. She can pitch. She can hit. I cannot imagine what she will be like when she is a senior. She can hit well. She can pitch.
"We have things we have to clean up. If we continue to play defense like we have been playing defense, that is not going to happen."
After a scoreless first inning, the visitors scored at least one run in the next four innings. The girls from Monongalia County collected six runs in the top of the second before adding four more in the fifth to put the game away.
The visitors outhit the hosts, 16-2.
"We have played all week," Leary said. "We played Saturday. We just have to flush this one out. I gave the girls the a day off tomorrow. We aren't scheduled to play, but we will not be doing anything.
"They need to get away. They need to get away from each other. They need to get away from me. I'm grouchy.
"We are supposed to play a doubleheader with East Liverpool Saturday. We just have to flush this one and move on.
"After the game, I took them to a different place. They thought I was going to yell and scream. I told them I was not going to yell and scream. I just told them we are beating ourselves. If we continue to have six errors, we are not going to beat good teams."
Maddie Campbell struck out eight without walking a batter on her way to recording the shutout victory for University. Campbell helped her own cause at the plate by tallying three base hits.
Eliza Utt started in the circle, and she took the loss for the Red Riders. She did not record a strikeout while walking two batters in her 4 1/3 innings of work inside the circle. Kylie Dean, who started at first, came on in relief with one out in the fifth. Dean pitched the rest of the way. She did record a strikeout or a walk.
The Hawks got offense production throughout their lineup.
Individually, Anna Argabite collected three singles and two RBI, Sophia Lehosit delivered two singles, a double and two RBI and Lauren Huebsch contributed two doubles and two RBI. Also, Olivia Masoner chipped in with two singles and an RBI, Ally Jansen added a double, Kennadi Barnhart recorded a single and an RBI. Finally, Bree Royce produced a pair of RBI, Kelsey Park picked up a single and Ashlyn Weaver plated a run with a sacrifice fly.
Sophia Aperfine doubled twice for the hosts.
University scored one run in the second and six in the third to build a 7-0 lead. The lead grew to 8-0 after the fourth.
"That kills any juice or energy you have when you fall behind big," Leary said. "Instead of playing for a run, everyone thinks they need to try and get a big hit.
"We are not used to teams scoring that many runs on us. We are not used to teams having big innings like that on us."
Weather permitting, University is scheduled to play Brooke at 5 p.m. today at home.
Weir is slated to play East Liverpool in a doubleheader starting at 11 a.m. Saturday on the road. The Potters play on grass, and due to the potential weather today and Saturday, the Red Riders are trying to get the games switched to their turf field.
University 12, Weir 0
University 016 14 – 12 16 0
Weir 000 00 – 0 2 6
UNIVERSITY (6-2): Campbell WP (11K, 0BB) and Masoner. Campbell 3S; Argabrite 3S, 2RBI; Masoner 2S, RBI; Huebsch 2D, 2RBI; Lehoist 2S, D, 2RBI; Park S; Barnart S, RBI; Jansen D; Weaver RBI; Royce 2RBI.
WEIR (7-4): Utt LP (4 1/3IP, 0K, 2BB), Dean (2/3IP, 0K, 0BB) and Aperfine. Aperfine 2D.