FAIRLEA, W.Va. – On what turned out to be a beautiful Saturday afternoon, the Greenbrier East Lady Spartans picked up consecutive win No. 9 with an 11-3 victory over the Nicholas County Lady Grizzlies.
Gracie Gumm homered, scored three runs and knocked in four more in what was probably her best game of the season, and Lily Carola was solid on the mound as the Spartans improved to 13-2 on the season.
Nicholas County actually took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on a wild pitch, but the Spartans, as they have done for the last two weeks, never panicked and came back with an answer.
Josi Ervin led off the bottom half with a single, Lindsey Black walked and two batters later, Caeola singled and Ervin scored on an errant throw as the Spartans tied the game at 1-all after one.
Following a Gumm run on a passed ball, a Hailey Ervin double got the Spartans started in their second at-bat. Black then hit a triple that scored Ha. Ervin as the Spartans took a 3-1 lead. Then, the red-hot Taylor Boswell lined a single to left field and Black scored, and East led 4-1.
After Nicholas County cut the deficit to 4-2 on a double from Abby Hilleary, the Spartans had plans of their own to extend the lead even more in the next frame. Alanis McClary and Olivia Plybon stood on first and second base after a single and a walk, respectively, and in the box stepped Gumm. She took a 3-2 pitch and drove it to center field for a three-run home run, and the Spartans took complete control of the game with a 7-2 advantage.
East got a key defensive play in the fourth, when the Grizzlies had the bases loaded, but Carola fielded a ground ball and turned a double play to end the threat, and that was the last chance Nicholas County would get.
East put up four more runs on the day to seal what was another perfect week on the diamond.
Gumm and McClary (2-3, 2 runs) paced the Spartan offense. Boswell, Black and Carola all drive in one run each.
Carola went the full five innings on the mound. She gave up just three hits and three runs (two earned). She struck six and walked four.
Hilleary led Nicholas at the plate (1-3, RBI) but struggled on the mound. She pitched four innings and gave up nine hits and 11 runs (seven earned). She struck out two and walked four.
The Lady Spartans will get a few days off then head to St. Albans this Wednesday, April 19, for a big game with the Red Dragons. They are 12-3 on the season.
