WINFIELD, WV (WOWK) – The Winfield Lady Generals softball team is no stranger to the state tournament, and are right back in the mix in 2025. If the Generals were to win the state championship this year, it would be their third in a row.

Winfield is in this position after taking down Chapmanville in a nip and tuck three-game regional championship series, and their extra-innings victory in Game 3 sealed their fifth consecutive state tournament appearance.

Winfield softball coach Steve Hensley is proud of how his team has performed this year, and says in order to go all the way through and win a state tournament, it’s about doing what they do best.

“Just being consistent and keeping the same approach to practice every day,” Hensley said. “Doing the little things right every day and just coming out and getting the best out of what you need to do each day, just do the same thing that you’ve always done and try to improve every day you’re out here.”

The players are very familiar with what it takes to win the state tournament, and they say practice leading up to the tournament can be grueling, but it’s important that they stay loose.

“We all just try to have fun and make the most of it,” said Mattie Carroll, junior pitcher for the Generals. “Now that we’re in postseason, we just have to work on the small things that are going to matter at states, because teams are going to make you field the ball and make routine plays and you have to still be good at that.”

The Generals will play their first game of the state tournament against Herbert Hoover on Friday, a team, that has also won their fair share of state championships. That game will be played at The Rock Field A at Little Creek Park in South Charleston at 11:30 a.m.