The Greenbrier East Lady Spartans are in Myrtle Beach, and while there is some fun in the sun to be had, East is still taking care of business on the softball field.
Today, Monday, April 3, East got the tournament started off on the right foot with a 10-0 shutout victory over the Johnson Central Golden Eagles.
The Spartans (7-2) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the in the first, and after not scoring in the second inning, they scored two runs in each frame for the rest of the game and won it in six innings.
Josi Ervin, who came into the game with an ERA of 1.06, lowered it even more in this one. She pitched six innings, allowed just two hits, and recorded 10 strikeouts.
Between the lefty hurler and the middle of the lineup, the game was much easier today for the Spartans than it should have been as Johnson Central has a good team, but the coaches will never complain about that.
After Ervin walked and Taylor Boswell singled, each moved up a base on Lindsey Black’s groundout. Then, Lilly Carola, who had a big day, singled to center and brought Ervin and Boswell home for a 2-0 Spartan lead.
Olivia Plybon got an RBI base-hit in the third and Carola stole home later in the frame for East’s two runs. After three, the Spartans led 4-0.
The trend continued the rest of the way as East consistently put the ball in play and took advantage of most opportunities they had. The Spartans committed two errors in the seventh, but Ervin struck out three batters in the inning to seal game one-of-three for East on their trip.
Carola went 3-3 with two runs scored and three RBI’s. Hailey Ervin, Boswell and Black all had two hits each. Boswell also scored two runs and drove in one, and Black scored a run as well. Hailey Ervin scored a run and drove in another.
East roughed up Golden Eagles pitcher Maddie Vaughn. She made it through four innings, gave up seven hits and four earned runs. She struck out four and walked three.
The Spartans will hit the field again tomorrow against Randolph, a team from New York.
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