RICHWOOD, W.Va. (WVDN) – Greenbrier West scored early and often in a 17-0 dismantling of Coalfield Conference foe Richwood on Wednesday evening at Pratt Park. Head coach Tony Hinkle’s squad ran its record to 14-0 with just over a week left in the regular season. At a time when many coaches are trying to fine tune their teams, Hinkle’s team was firing on all cylinders, as they throttled the Lumberjacks with 14 hits.
Brilee Redden ignited the explosive West offense with a first-pitch triple down the right field line and scored shortly thereafter on a Preslee Treadway RBI single to the right side. Senior Emma Ames then laced an RBI double into right field and later scored on Julia Herndon’s ground out up the middle. Desteney Walker joined the Cavalier hit parade with an RBI double to left field then scored on Maddie Field’s line drive double to right field. Fields was tagged out trying to advance to third on the play. With two outs, Brooklyn Adkins smacked West’s third triple of the inning, but failed to score when Lacey Walker drew a walk and Michaela Alley flied out to centerfield. The Cavaliers were out to a quick 4-0 lead.
Alley got the start for Greenbrier West in the circle and made hasty work of the Lumberjacks. Senior Kelsie Fields struck out followed a groundout from Ivy Groves. Katie Stanley drew a full count walk, but Alley induced Kendyl Jones to line out to Ames to end the inning.
The Cavaliers had only scratched the surface in the top of the first. In the top of the second, they dumped gas on the fire. Redden led off with a double to left field followed by Treadway, who reached after being hit by Lumberjack pitcher Katie Stanley. Ames collected her second hit of the evening with an RBI single to left field. Herdon then loaded the bases for the Cavaliers, when she reached on an error by the Richwood first baseman. Treadway plated another run on a passed ball, and Desteney Walker reached base on a walk to load the bases a second time within the half-inning. Momentum was broken momentarily on Fields strikeout, but Adkins cleared the bases with a three-RBI triple to put West up 9-0.
The Cavaliers weren’t finished lighting up the scoreboard. Back-to-back walks of Lacey Walker and Alley loaded the bases for a third time and Redden lifted a two-RBI double to left field. Treadway smoked a two-RBI double of her own into left field, scoring courtesy runner Ava Price and Redden for a 13-0 advantage. Ames gave the Cavaliers three straight doubles and tallied and RBI of her own, when Treadway came around to score. Stanely finally extinguished the Cavalier attack when she struck out Brooke Patterson, and Desteney Walker grounded out to third. The West lead was comfortable at 14-0.
Armed with a huge lead, Alley settled in after a four-pitch walk to start the bottom of the second inning. Delaney White grounded out to Ames at second followed by back-to-back strikeouts by the senior Cavalier pitcher.
Greenbrier West would be held scoreless in the top of the third inning. Price grounded out at first followed by a fly out from Adkins into left field. Lacey Walker took Stanley to a full count before succumbing to a strikeout, keeping the score 14-0 in favor of the visitors.
Alley turned up the wick on the Lumberjack batters in the bottom of the third. Alley smoked all three Richwood batters, throwing only 12 pitches on her way to striking out each would-be hitter.
West, for good measure, would add runs in the top of the fourth inning. Alley doubled to left field to start things off, followed by a single by Redden, giving the Cavaliers runners at the corners. Treadway punctuated the Cavalier offense, when she blasted her team-leading fourth home run of the season, a three-run shot over the left field fence. Greenbrier West led the game 17-0 as Stanley regained some control and set down the next three hitters.
Alley worked the bottom of the fourth inning to perfection. Stanley hit a weak pop fly to Ames followed by a Giles pop up to Treadway. Alley secured Smalley’s pop up to seal a four-inning no-hitter.
Treadway collected six RBIs in the contest, while Redden had a 4-4, two-RBI night at the plate. Ames and Adkins both tallied three RBIs a piece.
Greenbrier West swept the Lumberjacks and head to Moorefield on Friday to play in the Bub Riggleman Tournament and Moorefield Town Park. Greenbrier West faces Frankfort at noon followed by Hampshire County at 6 p.m. Pairings for Saturday’s action will be set after Friday’s results. Richwood is set to host Charleston Catholic on Saturday at noon.
GW – Alley and Herndon. RW – Stanley and unknown. WP – Alley. LP – Stanley. GW- Redden 4-4, 2 2B, 3b, 2 RBI; Treadway 2-3, 2B, HR, 6 RBI; Ames 3-3, 2 2B, 3 RBI; D. Walker 1-2, 2B, RBI; Fields 1-2, 3B, RBI; Adkins 2-3, 3B, 3 RBI; Alley 1-2, 2B. RW – 0-12. Alley 6K, 2BB.
