WEIRTON – The Weir softball team got off to a slow start against Ravenswood, however, the Red Riders erupted in the bottom of the fourth to put the game away.

Top-seeded Weir belted three home runs – two of which were back-to-back – and scored 11 runs on six hits in the fourth on its way to securing an 11-0 victory against the No. 4 seed via mercy rule in four-and-a-half innings in West Virginia Class AA Region 1 action Tuesday evening up at the Roberta “Birdie” DeFrancis Softball Field.

Bella Weber’s homer opened the scoring the started the big inning.

“We started off really slow, and to be honest with you, the coaching staff was really frustrated,” Weir (20-8) head coach John Leary said. “Through the first three innings, we had six strikeouts – two of which were looking. We struck out two times looking with runners in scoring position. We just took strike 3. It was very frustrating.

“That home run wokes us up. Bella has always been a good hitter, but the home run was the first in Bella’s career to go over the fence. That home run ignited us. In the end, we hit three home runs in that inning. Our 3-4-5 hitters all ended up hitting home runs in the same inning for us.

“That is the first time that has happened at the new field. In the old days, for a long time, the old field did not have a fence. This was the first time we have hit three home runs over the fence in the same inning.

“I am really happy for Zoey (Spencer) for hitting a home run. She has been close a few times, but that was also the first home run of her career. It was nice to see.”

With the win, Weir will now play in the regional final Thursday at home against the winner of today’s elimination game between Ravenswood and No. 5 seed Williamstown. Weather permitting, that game will be played down at Ravenswood.

“Ravenswood has lights, but they have a dirt field,” Leary said. “I watched them play. We are going to practice tomorrow. That is a long trip. That’s two-and-a-half hours.

“I am happy with the girls. We woke up in the fourth inning. It was nice to finish the game that way after the way we started it. It was nice to get that win in the regionals.”

The Red Riders only collected one hit in the first three innings before their fourth inning explosion.

“She had a really good changeup,” Leary said about Ravenswood pitcher Josie Caldwell. “My biggest concern was — you have to get on them about something regardless of what happens – is we told them we were taking too many pitches. She was not walking anyone. She was around the plate. We were taking too many pitches with her being around the plate.

“We were just too passive. I hate for us to be passive. I want us to be aggressive. We had a passive approach at the plate. If we are fortunate to make it to the state level, we cannot sit back for three innings and then come alive. We have to start out aggressive.

“Like Bob Prince use to say, ‘hidden vigorish.’ Once one of the girls gets a hit, every girl start hitting. We just have to have all the girls start to hit earlier.”

Pitcher Eliza Utt singled to left to start the fourth, and she stole second base to move into scoring position before scoring when Bella Weber belted a two-run home run over the fence in center to give the Red Riders a 2-0 lead.

Next, Loganne Barton doubled to left to keep things going. Then, Taviyana Cooley, who came in to run for Barton, moved up to third on a wild pitch while Spencer drew a walk, and she advanced to second on a defensive indifference. After a strikeout, Cooley scored on a bunt by Lexi Shockley to extend her team’s advantage out to 3-0 as Spencer ended up on third on the play.

After Chelsea DeVore walked, Brynn Artman reached on an error scoring Spencer to give the Red Riders a 4-0 lead as DeVore advanced to second. Lila Boilegh then was issued a walk to load the bases before Utt singled to right scoring DeVore and Spencer to increase the victors advantage to 6-0. Boilegh ended up at third while Utt took second on the throw.

The shortstop then scored on a wild pitch making the score, 7-0, while Utt advanced to third. Weber was issued a walk, and she stole second allowing Utt to score from third on the play making it an 8-0 ballgame. Weber also stole third before Barton launched a two-run home run over the fence in left scoring Weber to put the home team out in front 10-0. Then, Spencer hit one over the fence in left for Weir’s third home run of the inning to give the Red-and-Black an 11-0 lead.

“This may be the first time two girls have gone back-to-back for me at Weir,” Leary said. “I don’t remember it happening before. I don’t remember us hitting them back-to-back. If it has happened before, I am sure someone will tell me.”

A strikeout ended the inning, but the damage had already been done.

“We were more aggressive in the fourth inning,” Leary said. “We had a more aggressive mental approach. Once one girl gets a hit, it rubs off on the other girls, and they start looking more confident. We had a more aggressive approach.

“A big play in that inning was Lexi Shockley getting that squeeze bunt down, and we ended up scoring that run. Lexi does a nice job of bunting the ball. It was a true squeeze play. We sent Taviyana on the pitch, and Lexi got the bunt down and we scored that run. That was big for us. It kept the momentum going.”

Utt retired the girls from Jackson County in order in the fifth to end the game.

Utt collected the win for Weir striking out seven while not walking a batter.

Caldwell took the loss for Ravenswood (13-11). She struck out seven while walking three.

Ravenswood had an opportunity to strike first in the first. With one out, Caldwell singled to center, and she advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, however, Caldwell was thrown out at the plate by Spencer trying to score on a single by Kinzie Shumate keeping the visitors off the scoreboard.

“Zoey made a really-nice play,” Leary said. “She does a really good job in right field. She has a strong arm. The coaches were talking about it recently. She is the perfect girl to have in right field because she has the strongest arm. She made a really-nice play. She charged the ball and came up firing. She fired the ball to the plate, the ball was there in plenty of time and Logan makes nice plays on balls at the plate. Logan caught the ball and she made the tag. That was big. If they were able to score there, they would have had the momentum.

“After that, Eliza settled down. She hit her spots. It was a typical Eliza performance.

The Red Riders also got a runner in scoring position in the bottom of the inning, but they were also unable to take advantage of their opportunity. Weber singled to center with two outs, and she advanced to second on a wild pitch, however, she was stranded there thanks to a strikeout keeping the game scoreless.

“This is the fifth time in six years we have won 20 games,” Leary said. “Since I have been the head coach here, we have had one season where we did not get to 20 wins. This is our fifth time in six years of reaching 20 wins.

“In the old days, that was huge. I don’t want to take anything away from the accomplishment, but in the old days, you rarely played 30 games due to the weather and teams not having turf, so it was hard to get to 20 wins. It is the same thing a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball. Getting to 20 wins is an accomplishment. It is an accomplishment when you win 20 games when you are only allowed to play 32 games in the state of West Virginia. It is a major accomplishment. It is nice. You can get it in the postseason. I am proud of the girls for getting this accomplishment.”

Ravenswood defeated Williamstown, 9-5, in the tournament opener Monday at home, while Weir received a bye.

Weir 11, Ravenswood 0

Ravenswood 000 0 0 – 0 2 1

Weir 000 (11) X – 11 7 0

RAVENSWOOD (13-11): Caldwell LP (7K, 3BB) and Whited. Caldwell S; Shumate S;

WEIR (20-8): Utt WP (7K, 0BB) and Barton. Utt 2S, 2RBI; Weber S, HR, 2 RBI; Barton D, HR, 2 RBI; Spencer HR, RBI; Shockley RBI.