KEYSER, W.Va. — Mountain Ridge recorded more errors than hits, and No. 2 Keyser took full advantage.
The Golden Tornado (2-1) scored six of its 11 runs off errors, leading to an 11-6 win on Monday.
“It was a battle of will,” Keyser head coach Cody Spotts said. “Just as cold as it was. It was probably colder here than in Frostburg. Both teams battled, the girls stuck to it.”
Tied at 5 in the bottom of the fifth, Keyser scored four runs to take control.
Three of the four runs came off errors by the Miners (0-2).
“We just had one bad inning,” Mountain Ridge head coach Kim Jackson said. “We haven’t had the opportunity to be outside very much because of the weather and everything else.”
In the sixth inning, the Tornado scored two runs off an error and a wild pitch.
“I think just some younger players with some inexperience,” Jackson said of the errors. “We need to get those girls the opportunity to play so they feel more comfortable.”
Keyser took a 5-1 lead through three innings after scoring three runs in the bottom of the third.
Leighton Johnson doubled to right before Suzy Cosenza and Tavery Lyons singled.
“There were a couple errors that allowed us to get on base, but it’s something we didn’t do against Allegany,” Spotts said. “We didn’t string together hits. We’d get a runner on, she’d get stranded. This game, everyone was contributing.”
Johnson earned the win, not allowing an earned run across three innings of work.
She struck out nine against three hits and two walks.
Johnson also recorded a pair of hits and a walk at the dish.
Mountain Ridge answered with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth when Macy Barth and Gracie Shingler hit RBI singles.
Shingler’s drove in one runner, but the second was tagged out at home.
Barth and Shingler each recorded two hits and an RBI while Barth also swiped one base.
“I think these girls know they always have a chance to win,” Jackson said. “There’s no quit in them. They keep playing, no matter what the score is.”
The Miners evened the score at 5 in the top of the fifth on a passed ball and a Madison McKenzie base hit.
Lyons opened Keyser’s scoring with an RBI double in the second inning.
She scored on an error one pitch later to put the Tornado ahead 2-1 after two frames.
The freshman led Keyser, going 3 for 4 with two RBIs.
“I was excited to have these freshmen coming up last year,” Spotts said. “I knew how talented they were. All it came down to was getting experience. It’s early in the season, but it showed there.”
The Tornado’s Bibs Felton didn’t record a hit, but drew a pair of walks and stole four bases.
Destinee Johnson went four innings, allowing four earned runs on six hits and six walks with four strikeouts for Mountain Ridge.
The Miners head to Berkeley Springs on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m.
The Golden Tornado host Elkins on Thursday at 6 p.m.
“Everyone contributed, they knew their job, they executed their job perfectly whenever we had runners on base tonight.” Spotts said.