Defending champion Pendleton County returns to South Charleston looking to repeat at the Class A softball state tournamet this week, but the road to a repeat will come against a deep and balanced field.
The Class A WVSSAC softball championships get underway Monday at South Charleston’s Little Creek Park with Wahama earning the top seed after a 22-11 campaign and last year’s champion Pendleton County returning as the No. 5 seed.
Pendleton County finished 32-2 while winning the 2025 Class A championship and returns several key contributors from that title run.
The Wildcats are once again one of the state’s most dangerous offensive clubs, batting .362 as a team with 224 hits and 173 RBIs through 24 games. Junior Jessica Parker leads the lineup with a .439 average, 29 hits and 22 RBIs, while junior Susan Vincell is hitting .433 with 26 hits and 18 RBIs.
Wahama enters as the tournament’s top seed behind one of the most explosive offenses in the bracket. The Falcons scored 260 runs and hit .363 as a team through 33 games. Sophomore Audrey Reynolds has emerged as one of the state’s top hitters, batting .541 with 46 hits, 36 RBIs and 13 doubles.
Sherman also arrives with offensive firepower after scoring 237 runs through 31 games. Junior Lexie Lowe is hitting .435 with 40 hits and 33 RBIs, while freshman Ellie Jeffrey has blasted four home runs and driven in 30 runs.
Ritchie County brings perhaps the tournament’s most dynamic all-around player in junior Rocklyn Marcum, who is batting .589 with 33 hits, 37 runs scored and 44 stolen bases through 20 games. The Rebels stole 126 bases as a team entering the state tournament.
Greenbrier West features one of the state’s hottest bats in senior B. Redden, who is batting .575 with six home runs, 42 hits and 36 RBIs through 23 games. Senior Brilee Adkins is also hitting .500 with 35 RBIs for the Cavaliers.
East Hardy enters with one of the bracket’s best pure hitters in senior Madison Strosnider, who owns a .537 batting average with 29 hits, 22 RBIs and a 1.559 OPS through 21 games.
Wheeling Central Catholic, despite playing up much of the season against Class AA competition, arrives with a 16-6 record and balanced lineup led by Bella Rine, who is batting .442 with 19 hits and 10 RBIs through 14 games.
Man rounds out the field after compiling a 12-8 record through 17 games. Freshman Erika Mullins leads the Hillbillies with a .471 batting average and 24 hits, while freshman Mia Johnson is batting .373 with 19 hits and nine RBIs.
Players to watch
Audrey Reynolds, Wahama: One of the most dangerous hitters in the state, Reynolds is batting .541 with 46 hits, 36 RBIs, 13 doubles and two home runs through 29 games.
Raylee Zirkle, Wahama: Zirkle gives Wahama another elite bat, hitting .413 with 26 hits, 14 RBIs and 12 doubles through 27 games.
Brilee Redden, Greenbrier West: Redden enters Charleston hitting .575 with six home runs, 42 hits and 36 RBIs through 23 games.
Rocklyn Marcum, Ritchie County: A game-changing speed threat, Marcum is batting .589 with 33 hits and 44 stolen bases through 20 games.
Jessica Parker, Pendleton County: The Wildcats junior is hitting .439 with 29 hits, 22 RBIs, nine doubles and two home runs through 23 games.
Madison Strosnider, East Hardy: Strosnider has been dominant at the plate, batting .537 with 29 hits, 22 RBIs and 11 doubles through 21 games.
Lexie Lowe, Sherman: Lowe enters the tournament batting .435 with 40 hits, 33 RBIs, 15 doubles and three home runs through 30 games.
Brilee Adkins, Greenbrier West: Adkins gives Greenbrier West another elite bat, hitting .500 with 29 hits and 35 RBIs through 23 games.
Ellie Jeffrey, Sherman: The freshman slugger has emerged as one of the tournament’s breakout players with four home runs and 30 RBIs while batting .396 through 30 games.
Bella Rine, Wheeling Central Catholic: Rine leads Wheeling Central into Charleston batting .442 with 19 hits, 10 RBIs and seven doubles through 14 games.
Schedule and ticket information
What: WVSSAC Class A softball state tournament
When: Wednesday-Friday
Where: Little Creek Park, Field B, South Charleston
Tickets: All tournament passes are $49.25 and single session tickets are $11.50. Tickets can be purchased here.
Streaming: All games will be streamed on the NFHS Network
Wednesday
Session I
Game 1: No. 1 Wahama (22-11) vs. No. 8 East Hardy (10-11), 9 a.m.
Game 2: No. 4 Wheeling Central (16-6) vs. No. 5 Pendleton County (18-6)
Game 3: No. 3 Ritchie County (18-10) vs. No. 6 Man (12-8)
Game 4: No. 2 Sherman (21-11) vs. No. 7 Greenbrier West (15-9)
Session II
Game 5: G1 loser vs. G2 loser, 6:30 p.m.
Game 6: G3 loser vs. G4 loser
Thursday
Session III
Game 7: G1 winner vs. G2 winner, 9 a.m.
Game 8: G3 winner vs. G4 winner
Game 9: G5 winner vs. G8 loser
Game 10: G6 winner vs. G7 loser
Session IV
Game 11: G7 winner vs. G8 winner, 6:30 p.m.
Game 12: G9 winner vs. G10 winner
Friday
Session V
Game 13: G12 winner vs. G11 loser, 10:30 p.m.
Championship: G11 winner vs. G13 winner, 1:30 p.m. (If necessary, Game 2 will follow 30 minutes after the conclusion of Game 1.)