CRAWLEY – Greenbrier West capped a perfect week of softball with a pair of dominating home wins to begin their 2023 season with a 5-0 record. The Cavaliers posted back-to-back no-hitters in blanking Pocahontas County 19-0 and Pikeview 20-0.
Kyndall Taylor went the distance for West in the win over the Warriors, striking out 6 while allowing only 3 walks. Taylor struck out the side in the top of the first before the West offense exploded for 9 runs.
Brooke Patterson led off with an inside the park home run. Walks to Redden and Maddie Fields were backed up by singles from Julia Herndon, Brooklyn Adkins, and Taylor, staking West to a 5-0 lead. Lacey Walker hit a pop fly for the first out followed by a walk to Ava Price. Mariana Lopez grounded out but notched an RBI when Kendall plated a run. Patterson came back up for the second time in the inning and drew a walk followed by an RBI-single from Redden and an RBI-single from Fields. Herdon flew out to end the inning with the Cavaliers in complete control at 9-0.
Taylor remained steady on the mound with a groundout and a strikeout sandwiched around a walk of Kirsten Friel. Friel was caught stealing third base for the third out.
West topped their first inning output with ten runs in the bottom of the second inning. Adkins led off with a single before Peyton Sprong entered as a pinch hitter and was thrown out at first. Lacey Walker lofted a short fly ball that was mishandled by the shortstop, allowing her to reach base as Adkins scored on a wild pitch. Price reached base on a fielder’s choice with Walker being thrown out at second. Lopez and Hannah Sweet each singled for the Cavaliers before Desteney Walker stroked a 2-RBI double to left field. Preslee Treadway then cleared the bases with a 2-run home run over the left field fence.
The onslaught continued when Emma Ames reached third base on an error by the Warrior’s centerfielder. Adkins followed with a walk, then advanced to second as Ames scored on a wild pitch. Taylor singled to right field, scoring Adkins. Lacey Walker ripped a double down the third baseline and Price collected two RBI on a fly ball to left field. Lopez bunted for the third out with West in a commanding 19-0 lead.
Taylor encountered some twists in the top of the third inning, with the first surprise coming when Berkley Buzzard reached via catcher’s interference. Serenity Cochran drew a walk before Taylor recorded a strikeout. Talisa Arbogast drew a walk that loaded the bases, but Taylor buckled down to strike out Ella Johnston. Kynless Wilfong then grounded out to Taylor to end the game.
PC : 0 0 0 – 0 0 3
GW:9 10 0 – 19 15 1
PC: Johnston and Arbogast. GW: Taylor and Herdon, Ames. WP: Taylor LP: Johnston. PC: None
GW: Taylor 2-2, 2 RBI; Adkins 2-3, RBI; Price 2-3, 2 RBI; Lopez 1-3, 2 RBI; Herndon 1-2; Redden 1-2, RBI; L. Walker 1-3, 2B; Fields 1-2, RBI; Treadway 1-1, HR, 2 RBI; D. Walker 1-1, 2B, 2 RBI; Sweet 1-1; Patterson 1-2, HR, RBI.
In game two, Taylor continued to be effective as she tossed two more scoreless innings. Brilee Redden closed it out for a combined no-hitter against Pikeview. The Cavaliers helped their cause by piling up 14 first inning runs on their way to a 20-0 victory.
Taylor started the game strong in the circle with a strikeout and two groundouts. After making quick work of the Panther batters, the Cavalier offense went to work.
Patterson got the ball rolling with a single. Redden battled to a full count but succumbed to a strikeout. Treadway stepped in and was hit by pitch followed by a Patterson steal of home and an Emma Ames walk. Herdon then reached on error followed by back-to-back walks by Desteney Walker and Brooklyn Adkins. Hannah Sweet poked a single into centerfield followed by a groundout by Peyton Sprong. With two outs and a 5-0 lead, the Cavaliers kept their feet on the gas pedal.
Patterson singled to drive in Adkins and Redden reached on an error. Treadway was hit by pitch for a second time in the inning followed by an Ames walk that loaded the bases. With Herdon in the batter’s box, Redden surged home on a wild pitch as did Treadway two pitches later. Herdon drew a full count walk. With Desteney Walker at the plate, Ames scored on a wild pitch just before Walker reached base on another Panther error. Adkins then blasted a triple to the right field corner, plating a run for Ames. Adkins would score the Cavaliers’ 14th run of the inning on a wild pitch to cap a blistering start.
With a comfortable lead to work with, Taylor went to work on the Pikeview hitters. After inducing a lead off fly out, Taylor recorded a strikeout, issued a walk, then forced a ground out to end the half-inning.
The Cavaliers worked a little situational hitting in the bottom of the second with Michaela Alley leading off with a bunt single. Patterson entered the game as Alley’s courtesy runner and advanced to third as Fields worked a four-pitch walk. Treadway laid down a bunt that loaded the bases, and Lacey Walker followed with an RBI-bunt single. Lopez followed suit with another bunt single before Desteney Walker collected an RBI on a five-pitch walk. Adkins delivered for the West attack again with a 2-RBI single to right field that scored Lacey Walker and Lopez for a 19-0 bulge. Pikeview would get things turned around and record consecutive outs, but Patterson would tack on an extra run when she singled to score Desteney Walker. The Lady Cavaliers led 20-0 after two innings of play.
Brilee Redden, off to a dizzying start to her freshman season, came in to close things out in the top of the third. Redden used 14 pitches to buzzsaw through the Pikeview lineup.
With the win, Greenbrier West capped a 5-0 week on the diamond. The Cavaliers have huge matchups with Woodrow Wilson, Nicholas County, and Charleston Catholic on their week two schedule.
PV: 0 0 0 – 0 0 4
GW: 14 6 0 – 20 10 0
PV: K. Fine. GW: Taylor and Redden, Herdon. WP – Taylor LP – Fine. PV: None GW: Patterson 3-3, 2 RBI; Adkins 2-3, 2B, 3B, 4 RBI; Lopez 1-1; Alley 1-1; L. Walker 1-1, 2 RBI; Treadway 1-3; Sweet 1-3, 2 RBI; D. Walker RBI.
