No challenge was presented to the Greenbrier East Lady Spartans on Thursday, April 27 when they defeated the Shady Spring Lady Tigers 23-0 in their final road contest of the regular season.
East put the game away in just three innings and scored 13 runs in the third to seal the deal. The Spartans hit four home runs and pounded out 19 hits total.
Josi Ervin led the game off with a single and two batters later, Taylor Boswell singled as well. A walk to Lily Carola loaded the bases, which Olivia Plybon was happy to see as she ripped a 3-run double to left and East led 3-0 after the top of the first inning.
Carola threw just eight pitches in the bottom half to retire the Lady Tigers, and the Spartan bats were back in the batters’ boxes in the blink of an eye. A walk to Jenna Groves, a single from Hailey Ervin, a walk to Jo. Ervin and a 2-run double from Lindsey Black set the stage for Boswell. With the Spartans ahead 5-0 at that point, Boswell went after the first pitch and launched it over the fence in center field for a 3-run homer and East went up 8-0. Three consecutive hits immediately after from Carola, Alanis McClary and Plybon (2-run), East led 10-0. That was the score after two innings.
East’s third inning was even more impressive than the second. They hit two doubles (Ha. Ervin and Boswell), a triple (Jo. Ervin) and three home runs, yes three home runs in the frame. Those came from Gracie Gumm, Ha. Ervin and Carola as the Spartans rolled to 23 runs and arguably the easiest victory they have had this season.
Carola pitched two hitless innings and struck out three. Jo. Ervin pitched one frame and struck out two.
Jo. Ervin (3-3, 3 runs, RBI), Boswell (3-4, HR, 4 runs, 5 RBIs) and Plybon (3-3, run, 6 RBIs) each had three hits. Carola (2-3, HR 3 runs, 4 RBIs) and McClary (2-4, 3 runs, RBI) had two hits apiece. Every starter that batted had at least one hit.
East moves to 18-4 with the win.
