BRIDGEPORT, WV- The Greenbrier East Spartans concluded their regular season this past weekend, Saturday, April 29 when they traveled to Bridgeport to play the no. 6 ranked George Washington Patriots and the 7th ranked Bridgeport Indians in a double-header showdown. George Washington got the better of East in game one and beat them 8-6, but the Spartans rebounded in game two and beat the Indians 8-5 after a seven-run seventh inning to steal some momentum for postseason play.
The opener played out like a pitcher’s duel in the first two innings as both pitchers, Gavin Bennett for East, and Eli Dawson for the Pats, steadily cruised, but when the third inning hit, so did the bats.
In the top half, the Patriots hit three consecutive singles, the third being an RBI base hit for Joseph Lively and a 1-0 GW lead. An East error in the field by Ashton Cochran allowed another run to score, and Dawson’s sac fly made it 3-0, Pats, at that moment. Another scoring base knock made it 4-0 when the inning finally ended.
However, the Spartans had a little bounce in their step, and answered right back with a vengeance. Ian Cline drilled a 1-out triple and then scored on the next at-bat on an RBI single from Cochran. Darris Bowell got hit by a pitch, then a pickoff attempt to first base went wild as two Spartans scored on the same throw, and East had trimmed the deficit to 4-3 after three frames.
Gabe Patton tied the game in the fourth on a passed ball at home. He had gotten on by an error as the Spartans stole an important run. At that point the score was tied at 4-apiece.
The Patriots, however, picked up three runs in the fifth to gain the momentum back into their dugout. A couple of errors on East and an Abe Fenwick double highlighted the key plays in that frame.
With the Spartans down 8-4 in the sixth, they tried to put their rally caps on. They scored two more runs on more errant choices by the Pats infield, but unfortunately, that would be as close as they would get. Henry Goodwin reached base in the seventh, but was picked off at first, and Clayton Morgan struck out swinging to end the game.
East finished with just three hits and two of those were from Cline (2-4, run). Cochran (1-4, run, 2 RBIs) had the other.
Bennett had a decent game on the hill but took the loss. He lasted five innings, scattered eights and gave up seven runs, but just two of them were earned. He had three strikeouts as well.
The nightcap is one the Spartans will remember.
With just one run scored in the entire game, a score on a passed ball, the Spartans came to bat in the top of the seventh and final inning, down 5-1. Morgan started everything with a double, then Bennett singled after that. Layne Lambert then drew a walk and ditto for Peyton DeHaven, which scored a run, and just like that it was 5-2 with the bases still loaded and nobody out. Cline then stepped in a laced a 2-run double that cut the deficit to 5-4. An RBI single from Cochran tied the game at 5-all, and two batters after that, Henry Goodwin reached base on a bunt single. The frame was capped when Bennett reached on an error and two Spartans scored for the 8-5 advantage. Lambert got out of a bases loaded jam of his own in the bottom half as the Spartans held on for a key pre-postseason victory.
Cline went 2-4 again to lead East. He also drove in two runs. Cochran (2-3, run, RBI) and Morgan (2-3, run, RBI) also contributed.
Lambert got the win out of the bullpen. He pitched two innings, gave up just one hit, no runs and struck out one.
East concludes their regular season at 13-16.
Sectional play will begin Tuesday, May 9. When the Spartans opponent is known, it will be posted on our website.
