CHAPMANVILLE — The Chapmanville Regional High School girls’ softball team has a chance to erase last year’s bad memories.

The No. 1-ranked Lady Tigers (27-3) are just one win away from reaching the Class AA state tournament as Chapmanville is slated to square off with Herbert Hoover on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. in the Region 4 championship game at the Chapmanville Softball Complex.

Chapmanville last made it to Vienna in 2007 when it went on to win the 2A state title with a come-from-behind 8-5 victory over Ritchie County.

Last season, the defending state champion Lady Tigers were beaten in the sectional tourney by Scott.

But this year, Chapmanville got revenge on Scott by beating the Lady Hawks 1-0 and 12-0 to win the sectional crown and then blanking Wayne, 5-0, in last Thursday’s regional semifinals at home.

Chapmanville has played Herbert Hoover twice already this season. That was on April 27 when the Lady Tigers swept the Huskies 5-3 and 7-0 in a home doubleheader.

The Lady Tigers are searching for their fourth state softball title.

Chapmanville also brought home 2A state crowns in 1999 at Summersville and 2004 at Vienna.

Chapmanville’s veteran players, mostly its senior class, were members of the 2007 state title team.

Current senior starters Andi Williamson (pitcher), Poppy Ramey (catcher) and Beth Baldwin (outfield) were starters on the ‘07 team as sophomores. Junior third baseman Bre Thomas was a freshman starter at third on the squad.

A win over Hoover would send the Lady Tigers back to the state tourney in Vienna, April 27-28.

Chapmanville would open the state tourney around 11:30 a.m. on April 27 against the Region 3 winner. A win there would move the Lady Tigers into a winner’s bracket contest later in the evening around 6:30 p.m. against the Region 1 or Region 2 representative. Two wins would push the Lady Tigers into the Class AA finals which are set to be played on April 28 at 2 p.m.

All three county teams, including Logan (3A) and Man (Class A) are also in regional championship games on Thursday night. Logan hosts Greenbrier East in the Triple-A Region 3 final, while Man is set to host Buffalo in the Class A Region 4 final.

The last time multiple teams from Logan County made it to the state tourney was back in 1999 when Chapmanville won the 2A state title and Logan lost in the 3A finals to Cabell Midland at Summersville.

In 2000, Man won one game was was ousted in the 2A state tourney at Summersville.

Logan won back-to-back 3A state crowns in 2001 and 2002 at Summersville.

Chapmanville advanced to state in 2004 and won the 2A state crown at Vienna.

In 2006, Logan went to state and brought home the 2A title.

Chapmanville won the 2A gold in 2007 and Man took the Single-A state title in 2008.

Man also won the state championship in 1983.

Logan won the state title back in 1986.

Chapmanville is led by all-state hurler and University of Tennessee signee Williamson, who has pitched multiple no-hitters and/or perfect games this season. In 125 innings of work, Williamson has struck out 295 batters and allowed just two earned runs for an ERA of 0.16. She has issued only 10 walks and has allowed only 19 hits. Williamson fired a no-hitter and fanned 17 in the regional win over Wayne. At the plate, Williamson is hitting .392 with three homers and 28 RBI.

Ramey, who signed recently with West Virginia State, was batting .304 heading into the sectionals with 13 RBI.

Chapmanville’s freshman infield tandem of Allison and Jenna Evans have also been outstanding.

Allison Evans, the starting shortstop, has a .409 batting average with 17 RBI, while second baseman Jenna Evans has a .390 clip, 13 doubles and 27 RBI.

Baldwin has an average of .284 with two home runs and 18 RBI.

First baseman Tiffini Hale, a senior, has a .265 average with 22 RBI.

Thomas is hitting .244 with one homer and 18 RBI.

Chapmanville’s starter in right field, senior Lauren McCann, is also hitting .244.

The Lady Tigers and Herbert Hoover have a long history against each other.

In was Hoover back in 2005 which upset Chapmanville, 2-0, in the regional title game at Madison and prevented the then defending state champion Lady Tigers a shot at repeating as the titleholders.

In Chapmanville’s latest three visits to the state tourney (1999, 2004, 2007) the Lady Tigers have an unbeaten record of 9-0.

The Lady Tigers head into the regional finals on a seven-game winning streak.

Chapmanville has lost this year to Logan (1-0), Point Pleasant (3-1) and Sissonville (1-0).

Hoover advanced to the regional final with a 4-1 win over Poca last week.

In other regional finals across the state, Magnolia plays at Point Pleasant on Thursday, while Keyser travels to Lincoln and Shady Spring takes on Independence at Coal City.