Beaver Local's softball team celebrates its 3-0 win over Weir in the OVAC Class 4A final on Thursday at Oak Glen. (Photo by Andrew Grimm)

Beaver Local’s softball team poses for a photo after its 3-0 win over Weir in an OVAC 4A final on Thursday at Oak Glen. (Photo by Andrew Grimm)

NEW MANCHESTER, W.Va. — The Beaver Local softball team waited nine days to finally take a swing at its first OVAC title since 2001.

It was worth the wait.

Sophomore pitcher Addie Thurik struck out 16 and only allowed one baserunner in a 3-0 win over Weir High in the Class 4A title game at Oak Glen’s field.

Thurik threw 108 pitches of which 77 were for strikes in the dominant win.

“It’s amazing, we’ve been finding ways to win all season,” coach Mark Cashdollar said. “We came up on the fourth inning ready to do something. Throughout the year, we’ve found ways to  win games. Down at Myrtle Beach, we were down eight runs and came back and won. We’ve seen these girls find ways all season.” 

Beaver Local got on the board with an RBI single from Mya Anderson in the fourth inning, while Thurik added an RBI single in the fifth. Brylee Curtis tacked on an RBI double in the fifth to go along with her double in the fourth inning.

“It’s great to win this and get the trophy,” Cashdollar said. “The last time was in 2001 so it’s been 25 years. We’ve played for it in other years but this is the first time we’ve won it in a long time. It’s great.”

The game was moved from the I-479 Complex because Oak Glen has the artificial playing surface.

Calleigh Eells added two hits for the winners.

Thurik is 12-2 on the season with a 1.77 ERA. She had 176 strikeouts and just 20 walks. Thurik also leads the team with a .461 batting average.

Beaver Local is batting .359 as a team with 254 hits, 173 RBIs and 29 home runs.

The Beavers (22-3) had not met Weir earlier in the season and won their semifinal game 4-2 over Oak Glen on April 28.

“We only lose one player from this team, we only have one senior, so we’re gonna keep on working,” Cashdollar said.

The Red Riders are 17-7.

Beaver Local is at United on Saturday morning to face the Eastern Ohio Athletic Conference champs.

WE: 0-0-0-0-0-0-0 — 0-1-0

BL: 0-0-0-1-2-0-x — 3-8-3

Bridgeport 13, Southern 2

SALINEVILLE — Bridgeport put 10 hits together in a 13-2 five-inning romp over Southern on Thursday.

For Southern, Raelea Carosiello had a single and home run. Makenna Jones added a double and Destiny Huffman had a triple.

Addison Anderenok was the losing pitcher with five walks and a strikeout in 3 1/3 innings.

Southern is 6-12 and will be at Steubenville Central today.

BR: 3-5-2-3-0 — 13-10-0

SL: 1-0-1-0-0 — 2-6-3