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Jefferson finishes whirlwind ending with softball state championship

By Bob Madison - For the Chronicle | Jun 3, 2022

The Jefferson High School softball team made its school’s history this month, when it won the WVSSAC 2022 “AAA” Softball State Championship. Courtesy photo

CHARLESTON — Precedents galore.

The Jefferson High School softball team satisfactorily settled its area differences with Washington and Hedgesville, before moving into the state capital to finish a highly successful season with a state championship — the first-ever in school history.

Guided by head coach Desire’ Waters, the state softball champions completed a robust 30-5 season with three wins in the state tournament — a critical 6-2 victory over John Marshall in 11 lengthy innings in the first game and then winner’s bracket success over Lincoln County (8-0 in a mercy-rule six innings) and John Marshall (6-1 in the championship game).

It was the first state softball crown worn by any Jefferson team since the consolidated school opened its doors in the fall of 1972.

Opening its state tournament schedule with a 6-2 victory over John Marshall was a fulcrum to winning it all in the double elimination event.

Four members of the Jefferson High School softball team were named WVSSAC 2022 “AAA” Softball All Tournament players after the championship game. Pictured are Becca Munslow, Taylor Presley, Kalee Dalton and Lacie Lewis, from Jefferson High School; Kadence Pettit, from John Marshall High School; Josie Bird and Haleigh Adkins, from Lincoln County High School; Taven Stevenson, from St. Albans High School; and Megan Daugherty and Ava Blake, from John Marshall High School. Courtesy photo

Rebecca Munslow, a freshman, authored all 11 innings of low-hit, low-run softball in tripping the Monarchs.

After the Monarchs’ Sophia Adkins homered in the first inning, Jefferson was down to its last chances in the seventh, seeking some spark to at least erase the 1-0 deficit.

Lacie Lewis had a clutch hit with two outs to bring in the needed run to send the game into extra innings.

Munslow continued her shutout pitching from the second through the 11th inning.

Still tied into the 11th, Jefferson rallied for five runs as Chloe Cowan plated the go-ahead run with her single and then Taylor Presley and Kalee Dalton later added RBI hits to pad the lead.

The Monarchs committed four errors in the fatal inning, including two on one play.

Shelby Harris and Dalton both contributed two hits in the tournament-opening victory.

Munslow finished her made-of-iron stint with an eight-hitter and eight strikeouts.

In the winner’s bracket, Jefferson made bobtailed work of Lincoln County, putting the finishing touches on an 8-0 shutout win in six innings.

Pitcher Shelby Harris harnessed the Lincoln County bats throughout. Scoring three runs in the first inning helped relax the Jefferson lineup.

Jefferson held a satisfying 5-0 lead after only three innings. Another run in the fourth and then two more in the sixth completed the mercy-rule success.

After taming Lincoln County, Jefferson was the only undefeated team remaining in the four-team tournament.

When John Marshall beat Lincoln County, Jefferson could become the 2022 state champions with just one more win, while the Monarchs had to win two straight times against Jefferson to pull off the improbable comeback to a state title.

Dalton and Munslow made certain there would be no history made by the Monarchs.

Munslow spun a complete-game four-hitter with six strikeouts in limiting the Monarchs to their one run in a 6-1 Jefferson win.

Dalton’s first of four hits scored Taylor Presley to give Jefferson a 1-0 lead.

In the fourth with Jefferson ahead, 2-1, a three-run uprising boosted the lead to 5-1. Jefferson finished with 10 hits.

Dalton, who was joined on the all-tournament team by Munslow, Lewis and Presley, went 4-for-4 in the clinching win.

A team with a useful corps of underclassmen, Jefferson started four freshmen and only two seniors in the championship game.

Precedent-setting. Achieving a state championship.