Photo | Paul Adkins

Chapmanville Regional High School softball players Jenna and Allison Evans, flanked by fellow seniors Heather Nagy and Alyssa Bailey, have signed to play collegiate softball at the University of Charleston. The four seniors posed for a photo with the Class AA sectional plaque after the Lady Tigers beat Scott 2-0 for the title on Friday night to take the best-of-three game series 2-0.

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CHAPMANVILLE — When you are in Chapmanville and you mention “The Twins,” just about everyone knows who you are talking about.

“The Twins,” are sisters Allison and Jenna Evans.

The two have led the Chapmanville Regional High School softball team the last four years and have already helped the Lady Tigers win two Class AA state championships in 2009 and 2010 and reach the state tournament three straight times.

The twins have played together in the ASA league, with the Chapmanville Middle School team and with the high school squad.

As the 2012 prep softball season winds down this might have been the last few games the sisters would ever play together on the same team.

But that’s not the case.

The two all-staters recently signed on to play collegiate softball at the University of Charleston.

It was like a package deal.

That means if all goes as planned, the Evans twins will be on the same team for four more years. They’ll just have to trade in their Chapmanville Orange and Black for UC’s Maroon and Gold.

Allison said she doesn’t mind having to put up with her sister for another four years on the softball diamond.

“Honestly, I wouldn’t rather play ball with anyone else,” she said. “It’s good to have your sister with you on the same team.”

Jenna said she looks forward to playing ball with her sister for four more years.

“Wherever we go we always want to be together,” Jenna said. “We’ve grown up playing ball together and we always have each other’s back and we pull each other up when we are down. It’s good to have someone like that on your team.”

Both have played middle infield and pitcher at Chapmanville.

Two years ago, the sisters pitched the Lady Tigers to the Class AA state championship as sophomores. As freshmen in 2009 they played a major role in the Lady Tigers’ 31-3 record and state title that season on a team which featured State Player of the Year Andi Williamson.

This season, the duo are also having fantastic seasons.

Allison Evans is hitting a team-best .424 with one homer and is 15-2 within the pitching circle. Jenna Evans is batting .395 with a 7-2 mark on the hill.

Chapmanville coach Ronnie Ooten said it’s been a pleasure to have them on his team the last four years.

“They’re fantastic players,” Ooten said. “What can you say? They’re competitors. They don’t like to get beat. I’m glad that they are going to UC. There were a lot of teams looking at them and there were some schools that I thought should have looked at them but didn’t. They are most likely going to be middle infielders in college. I don’t think they’ll find two better players or two better girls than them two.”

Ooten said the two have worked really hard. That was evident on Thursday night when the Lady Tigers survived in a 1-0 win over Scott in the sectional tourney.

“Last night we had a tough ballgame where we won 1-0 but they went to the building and hit last night after the game,” he said. “They are so dedicated. I went home after the game because I was emotionally worn out.”

Allison said she’s looking forward to going to UC.

“UC is a good school,” she said. “They have a good program for what we’re going into. It’s a small school with small classes. I just all-around loved it.”

Jenna said she’s excited but also nervous.

“I’m excited. I’m a little bit nervous but I’m looking forward to it. There’s going to be some great athletes there and they are going to make you better,” she said. “I’m going to push myself and work as hard as I can to make a good impact on the team.”

Jenna said she wants to go into the medical field to be a physician’s assistant. Allison wants to be a physical therapist.

Allison said both turned down deals to go to Division I Ohio University of the Mid-American Conference.

“We wanted to be close to home,” Allison said.

Family ties run deep with the Evans twins as their older sister Stefanie played high school softball as well with the Logan Lady Cats.

Before the school year, however, the sisters lost their father, who passed away.

The Chapmanville softball team rallied around them and dedicated the season to his memory. All Lady Tigers’ players have worn black ribbons on their uniforms in remembrance of Mr. Evans.

“We’ve worked hard as a team and none of us want to lose this year,” Jenna said. “We want to make another trip to the state tournament. We want to win. We dedicated this season to our dad. God has been with us every step of the way. We thank Him for every opportunity that we have and for giving us and the team the strength that we need to pull through.”