SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Keyser begins its Class AAA state tournament run on Tuesday at Little Creek Park.
The Golden Tornado (23-6) are the No. 5 seed and face No. 4 Point Pleasant (25-8) 30 minutes after the conclusion of No. 1 John Marshall (25-5) and No. 8 Robert C. Byrd (15-16), which is scheduled for 9 a.m.
Keyser’s game is followed by No. 3 Herbert Hoover (24-8)/No. 6 PikeView (22-7) and No. 2 Winfield (24-10)/Brooke (18-14).
All Class AAA games will be played on the Rock Field B.
Keyser is trying to join Petersburg, the Class AA state champion with a 6-5 win over Logan on Friday, as a first-time state champion.
The Golden Tornado hit .348 as a team and have seven batters at .300 or better: Bibs Felton (.605), Brielle Root (.463), Tavery Lyons (.419), Leah Foutz (.345), Mady McIntyre (.333), Sophie Lambka (.311) and Suzy Cosenza (.301).
Felton had 11 home runs, four triples, 12 doubles, 37 runs batted in and 38 runs scored — all team-highs.
Keyser’s ace is Leighton Johnson, who boasts a 17-5 record, 1.82 ERA and 185 strikeouts in 119 1/3 innings pitched.
Lambka has a 2.49 ERA in 39 1/3 innings.
Point Pleasant is led offensively by Chloe Patrick’s .510 average, nine home runs and 52 runs scored.
Its top pitcher is junior Rylan MacKnight (22-7, 2.85 ERA, 181 2/3 IP).
The loser of the Keyser/Point Pleasant game faces the loser of John Marshall/RCB on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.
The winner battles the winner of the 1/8 game on Wednesday at 9 a.m.