WEIRTON — With its back against the wall, the top-seeded Madonna softball team came out swinging against No. 2 seed Trinity Christian.

Madonna got off to a fast start and had Trinity Christian on the ropes, however, the Blue Dons’ bats went quiet at the worst possible time, while the Warriors’ bats got hot at exactly the right time.

Madonna delivered four runs in the bottom of the first inning to take the early lead. Unfortunately for the Blue Dons, they did not score again as the Warriors recorded the final six runs of the game to rally for a 7-4 victory to claim the West Virginia Class 1A Region 1 Section 1 title on a sunny Saturday afternoon at Starvaggi Park.

“It was not our day,” Madonna (18-5) head coach Jason Backel said. ‘We scored four runs in the first, and then we did not score after that. They changed pitchers. She threw slower, and we did not adjust.

“It was not our day. We were shut out in the last six innings. We didn’t do a very good job of getting timely hits.

“I don’t know how many runs they scored with two outs, but they scored some. Hats off to them.

“We did not play our best game. They did a great job. We end the year at 18-5. We fell short today. We just fell into a hitting a slump at the end of the year. We just not get any timely hits.”

The Warriors struck first with a run in the top of the first to take an early 1-0 lead, however, the girls from Hancock County responded in the home half of the inning as the girls in blue plated four runs to take a 4-1 advantage.

Trinity Christian cut into its deficit with two runs in the third to make it aa 4-3 ballgame. Then, the girls from Monongalia County tallied a run in the fourth to knot the score at 4. The momentum remained on the side of the visitors as the Warriors recorded two runs in the fifth to regain the lead at 6-4 before tacking on an insurance run in the sixth to increase their advantage to three runs.

Madonna got a runner on base in the seventh, however, Trinity Christian’s Peyton Moore made a diving catch in center to end the game. Moore also made a couple of catches in the game against the fence to rob Madonna hitters of potential home runs.

“We hit two to the fence that she caught,” Backel said. “Someone told me the balls were over fence, but she reached up caught the balls. She took home runs away. That cost us some runs. If there was a gust of wind or something, things could have been different.”

The victors used two pitchers in the game. Paige Hopkins started, but she only lasted one inning. Hopkins struck out one and walked one. She did not figure in the decision. Hopkins was replaced in the second by Olivia Timperio, who ended up picking up the win. Timperio struck out two and walked two, while limiting the home team to just one hit in the final six innings of the ballgame.

Madonna also used two pitchers. Peyton Conley started inside the circle, and she took the loss. Conley struck out five and walked three in her six innings of work. She was replaced in the seventh by Kendall Ryan. Ryan recorded one strikeout without walking a batter in her one inning of pitching.

Trinity Christian outhit Madonna, 10-5. The Warriors recorded three extra-base hits – two doubles and a home run – in the game, while all five of the Blue Dons’ hits were singles.

Josalyn Phillips belted a two-run home run in the fifth to give Trinity the lead, and the catcher recorded three RBI on the day. Also, Marlo Flecker finished with two singles, a double and an RBI, Moore recorded a single, a double and an RBI and Hannah Titus and Hopkins each contributed two singles and an RBI.

For Madonna, Ally Laughlin tallied a single and two RBI, Rylee Birkhimer recorded a single and an RBI and catcher Chloe Orecchio contributed a triple. Also, Madi Owens and Kaleigh Gamble each delivered a single.

The Blue Dons hit some balls hard that unfortunately found gloves instead of grass.

“We hit the ball,” Backel said. “We scored four runs, and then they changed pitchers. It just was not our day.”

The game was the final one for Madonna’s three seniors – Kayla Szczerbinski, Orecchio and Laughlin.

“Chloe Orecchio was an absolute rock for us at catcher,” Backel said. “She was a team leader for four years. She would do anything we asked. She caught for us, and she was our leadoff batter. We made her into a catcher. She had not played the position before. She is one of the best softball players Madonna has ever had.

“Kayla Szczerbinski joined us last year as a junior. She was a nice addition to the team. She was a solid outfielder.

“Ally did a great job for us in the outfield. She played in center. She did everything we asked.”

While the Blue Dons are losing three key players from this year’s team, the cupboard will not be bare next season as Madonna will return most of the players from this team.

“Fortunately, we have a lot of girls coming back,” Backel said. “We have both pitchers coming back. We have some talent in the eighth grade that’s coming up. We will return our entire infield except for Chloe. It is going to be tough losing her.”

Orrechio, Laughlin and Szczerbinski were the leaders of the team.

“Chloe was a leader,” Backel said. “She was vocal. The other two were not as vocal. They led more by example. They were all solid players.”

Madonna opened the sectional tournament by defeating No. 4 seed Clay-Battelle, 16-4, in five innings, while Trinity Christian defeated No. 3 seed Cameron. The Warriors defeated the Blue Dons, 4-3, in a winner’s bracket game to advance to the final, while the Dragons defeated the Cee-Bees in the loser’s bracket to advance to play the Blue Dons in an elimination game. Madonna stayed alive by shutting out Cameron, 5-0, Thursday at home to advance to take on Trinity Christian in the final. The Blue Dons needed to beat the Warriors to advance to the regional tournament, however, it was not to be for the locals this season.

“It’s disappointing,” Backel said.

Madonna defeated Trinity Christian, 23-6, during the regular season.

Trinity Christian 7, Madonna 4

Trinity Christian 102 121 0 – 7 10 1

Madonna 400 000 0 – 4 5 2

TRINITY CHRISTIAN (11-10): Hopkins (1IP, 1K, 1BB), Timperio WP (6IP, 2K, 2BB) and Phillips. Moore S, D, RBI; Hopkins 2S, RBI; Phillips HR, 3RBI; Flecker 2S, D, RBI; Titus 2S, RBI.

MADONNA (18-5): Conley LP (6IP, 5K, 3BB), Ryan (1IP, 1K, 0BB) and Orecchio. Orecchio T, Owens S; Laughlin S, 2RBI; R. Birkhimer S, RBI; Gamble S.