Greenbrier East and Lincoln County were scoreless through four innings before the Panthers got three runs in the fifth to take the lead and never relinquish it for a 9-2 victory over the Spartans.
A pair of home runs from Haleigh Adkins and Ryleigh Shull broke the game open in that fifth inning. Both balls cleared the fence in centerfield, and they swung the momentum to the Lincoln County dugout.
East pitcher, Josi Ervin, was a little under the weather but on cruise control until that fifth frame.
Meghan Stump, Lincoln County’s star pitcher, also helped her own cause when she homered in the seventh as part of a 5-run inning for the Panthers.
The Spartans put on their rally caps the best they could and got two runs in the bottom half, but that is as close as they would get, but it did come with a highlight as well.
Olivia Plybon led off the inning with a double and two batters later, Hailey Ervin crushed a 2-run home run to center. That was the final scoring of the night in the contest, and it was Ervin’s first career homer.
Josi Ervin pitched seven innings, gave up 12 hits and five earned runs. She struck out 10 Panthers.
Stump also went the full seven innings, allowed five hits and two earned runs. She had four strikeouts.
Maci Lunsford went 3-4 to lead the Panthers on offense. They had five players with multiple hits.
East got five hits on the night with Josi Ervin, Taylor Boswell, Plybon, Jenna Groves and Hailey Ervin providing them.
The loss drops the Spartans to 4-2 on the year.
Lincoln County, one of the top teams in the state, moves to 5-1.
