Man's Morgan Cooper works through her wind up to deliver a pitch to a Wahama batter during Man's loss at Wahama on Wednesday (Photo by Bill Lusk/WVOW Sports).
Bill Lusk | WVOW Sports
MAN Mikie Lieving tossed a one-hitter striking out 10 and hit a two-run home run as top-ranked Wahama won its third consecutive Class A Region 4 championship by defeating sixth-ranked Man 2-0 Thursday evening at Man High School.
Lieving allowed a one out single to Man’s Jacklynn Barnett in the bottom of the second. Not only would be the Lady Hillbillies lone hit of the run, but the lone base runner as Lieving and the Lady White Falcons eliminated Man from the postseason for the third straight year.
While she was setting Man hitters down in the circle, Lieving provided the game’s only runs with her two-run home run, a line drive shot over the left center field fence in the third inning for a 2-0 lead.
Lieving’s home run was her 23rd of the season and 64th of the year for Wahama and came off a Morgan Cooper 1-2 fastball that was low and away, but Lieving was able to go down and hit it out for the game’s lone runs.
Cooper allowed two runs on seven hits and struck out 12 while walking one in defeat for the Lady Hillbillies.
Besides Barnett’s base hit in the second, Man had just one other ball leave the infield, Barnett’s fly out to right field in the fifth inning.
Kate Reynolds had two hits including a double while Elissa Hoffman and Amber Wolfe each had a double for Wahama. Kalyn Christian and Payton Staats each had one hit.
Wahama improved to 28-5 and will face third-ranked St. Marys in Wednesday’s Class A state tournament opener at Little Creek Park in South Charleston at 9:45 a.m.
The Lady White Falcons have won the past two Class A state championships and are attempting to become the fourth team to win three consecutive state championships.
Wahama would join Wheeling Central (1995-2001 and 2016-18) and Buffalo (2011-2015) as the only schools to win three consecutive Class A titles.
Man concludes its season with a record of 16-5, but the Lady Hillbillies return a number of underclassmen for next season.
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