John Marshall’s Hayley Rush works to the plate Saturday. View additional images at cu.news-register.net Photo by Shawn Rine

GLEN DALE — Coach Ed West and his John Marshall softball team found a lot out about themselves Saturday afternoon in a doubleheader sweep of East Fairmont. The debuting Monarchs discovered in the opener that pitching, fielding and patience can lead to victory while key hits turned out to be the big lesson in the nightcap. Junior Natalee Rogerson’s two-out, run-scoring single in the bottom of the seventh plated the game’s only run in the first game, while a two-run fourth, highlighted by Madi Namath’s RBI triple, helped lead to a 4-2 victory and the sweep at sun-drenched John Marshall High School. A good, old-fashioned pitchers duel broke out in the lid-lifter with the Monarchs’ Hayley Rush spinning a one-hitter, fanning seven and walking three for the victory, while the Bees’ Nikki Nuzum allowed three hits with 12 strikeouts and no free passes. Unfortunately for Nuzum, two of the three hits followed a seventh-inning error that provided the game-winning run. Megan Garcia reached on a one-out East Fairmont miscue with pinch-runner Charlee Malloy advancing to second on Shannon Stipetich’s two-out base hit to center. Rogerson followed with a shot straight up the middle with Malloy sliding in the only run and the victory. ‘‘This is a very nice start to the season,’’ West said. ‘‘There was some great pitching in the first game and Nuzum is as quality a pitcher as we will see all season long. ‘‘She was at her best (Saturday) and we struggled at the plate because of i.