Oak Glen’s Mattie Carney throws a complete-game victory on Monday. (Special to The Review/Andrew Grimm)

NEW MANCHESTER, W.Va. — Throughout a jam-packed regular season in which it played more times than perhaps any other season prior, Oak Glen developed an ability to bounce back.

That trait — built by a 31-game regular season slate that included a lot of weeks with four, five, even six games and an OVAC title — turned out to be vital for the Golden Bears when it mattered more than ever.

Tasked with putting a run-rule loss to perennial power Wheeling Central in what was a clinching opportunity Saturday behind it to take on the same Maroon Knights in a winner take-all game Monday, Sherrie Garner’s club came out focused, got a big early lead and fended off a late rally to edge out a thrilling 5-4 victory to claim the Class AA, Region 1, Section 1 championship.

“After leaving Saturday, it was the typical (mindset of) we’ve got to flush that and move on,” Garner, the veteran Oak Glen coach, said. “A lot of things go into superstitions and what not, but Saturday was an awkward day it felt like. It seems these girls like to play after school, they like to work all day and come out ready to play.

“I think our schedule played a big role. I think we had one of the toughest schedules in the state, if you look (across the state) we had the most games played and that’s a big compliment to the field, we played 31 games and we were challenged throughout the Ohio Valley, the state, our Myrtle Beach trip, I think it made a big difference.”

Oak Glen will take on St. Marys in the Region 1 championship series next week. Section 2 is the host this year, so Game 2 of the best-of-three will be at Oak Glen with Games 1 and 3, if needed, on the road. The series will begin on either Monday or Tuesday.

In a complete reversal of Saturday, it was the Golden Bears jumping on the Knights early. Riley Bruce smacked a leadoff homer in the bottom of the first inning, then Mattie Carney homered from the No. 3 spot for a quick 2-0 lead.

An inning later, the Bears (25-9) added three more — all with two outs — for a 5-0 lead. Addie Smith reached on a two-out error, which also plated a run, then the next batter, Carney, singled in two more runs, which proved to be a vital moment as Wheeling Central came clawing back.

“We needed all of the runs and I felt like we missed a few we could have had, but the girls were able to respond defensively,” Garner said.

A Erin Maxwell two-out, two-run double in the top of the third got the Knights (20-9) on the board and within 5-2, but Carney settled back in and struck out the side in the fourth, worked around a leadoff error in the fifth and stranded another runner in the sixth, though Wheeling Central ace Josie Frizzell was also holding the Bears lead at three.

In the top of the seventh, the Knights nearly pulled off the comeback.

Sydney Hupp’s one-out double gave the visitors a jolt of energy, and was followed by back-to-back singles from Morgan Miehle and Choe Groome, the second of which scored a Hupp to cut the lead to two.

A Maddie Miehle single loaded the bases, then an RBI single from Maxwell made it a one-run game with the bases loaded and still just one out.

The Golden Bears infield, though, recovered to get an out at the plate on a fielder’s choice and a then a groundout for the final out, allowing Oak Glen to hang on for the dramatic victory.

“I feel bad for our seniors (Josie Frizzell, Ava Hanson, Trina Baker, Angelina Robrecht, Mia DiBias and Hazel Tatich) to come so close,” Wheeling Central head coach Buck Davidson said. “I feel bad for those girls with as much work as they’ve put in. We lost in regionals the last three years … It’s tough for them to come up short all four years.

“We fought all the way to the last out and I am proud of them for that. We got down early and could have quit but we didn’t, I’m proud of the way they fought back and made them get all 21 outs.”

Carney, who had a big bounce back performance from Saturday, finished with eight strikeouts and two walks in the complete game effort.

“She’s a workhorse and she said she wanted that role,” Garner said. “She has shared the ball with others and we trust any of them, but she certainly wanted that role (Monday) and she did a great job.”

Frizzell, who wrapped up her distinguished high school career in Maroon, also dialed in and finished with six strikeouts and one walk, putting up zeroes across the final four innings to give her team a chance to fight back.

“That was great competition, a great series with a great team and a good test for what is to come,” Garner said. “We knew they weren’t going to stop. To have the bases loaded and be able to get out of the jam and walk away out of it with the win is fantastic. I’m really proud of the girls.

“We have four seniors that have been a part of a lot of success and they’ve said from the beginning their goals were to win the OVAC tournament and go back to the state tournament and make some noise. They worked hard all year for this.

“The work is not done yet.”

WVSSAC Class AA

Region 1, Section 1 championship game

at Suzan L. Smith Field of Dreams Complex

No. 1 Oak Glen 5, No. 2 Wheeling Central 4

WC: 0-0-2 0-0-0-2–4-8-2

OG: 2-3-0 0-0-0-x–5-7-2

WHEELING CENTRAL (19-9): Frizzell (LP, 6IP, 5R, 2ER, 7H, 6K, 1BB) and Hanson. Mad. Miehle D, S; Maxwell D, S, 3RBIs; Hupp D; Mor. Miehle S; Groome S, RBI; Frizzell S.

OAK GLEN (25-9): Carney (WP, CG, 4R, 2ER, 8H, 8K, 2BB) and Heath. Carney HR, S, 3RBI; Bruce HR, S, RBI; Smith S; Hartung S; Blach S.