NEW MANCHESTER – The Weir High softball team battled back from an early deficit and pulled away for a key victory at Oak Glen on Saturday, 11-4.

The Red Riders struck first with two runs in the top of the first inning, but the Golden Bears tallied the next four runs to take the lead.

Weir High (12-5), however, kept battling and scored the last nine runs of the game to earn a regular season sweep of their county rivals, a key win as both teams are in the thick of the OVAC Class 4A tournament race and are in the same region for the Class AA tournament.

Eliza Utt shook the earn runs and put up zeros in the final five innings, striking out five and walking one in a complete game effort. She also had an RBI at the plate.

Loganne Barton had a double, single and two RBIs, Zoe Spencer and Lexi Shockley had two hits and two RBIs each, Illiona Kirlangitis tallied two hits and an RBI and Lila Boilegh recorded a three-hit day with a double and two singles.

“It was a total team effort,” Weir High head coach John Leary said. “Eliza was a bulldog in the circle. She kept her composure and let us battle our way back. We got key hits from Barton in the third to tie the game and Spencer in the fifth to drive in the go-ahead run.

“The theme of the day was total team effort. Everybody played a part and did their job.”

For Oak Glen, Kynslee Landess had a solo homer, Brayley Lash had an RBI triple and Mattie Carney and Danica Holden each had an RBI.

Carney had 12 strikeouts in taking the loss in the circle.

The Golden Bears, now 12-5, had a seven game win streak snapped with the loss.

The Red Riders have a big game hosting Barnesville today. Oak Glen looks to bounce back Tuesday hosting Indian Creek.