FAIRLEA,WV- The Greenbrier East Lady Spartans can add another title to their extraordinary season other than sectional champions.
Aubrey Smallwood’s kryptonite.
East defeated Smallwood and Beckley 8-0 on Friday night, May 5 in the Region 3, Section 2 title game when Jenna Groves reached on an error that scored Olivia Plybon and they are headed to the regionals the week after next.
Since losing two in a row to George Washington and Independence in late April, the Lady Spartans have strung together six wins in a row, with none being more impressive than the last two.
East (22-4) used a four-run third inning to take control in this one. Hailey Ervin walked to lead it off, then stole second and third. Lindsey Black then singled Ervin home on a hard ground ball to Smallwood on the mound. Taylor Boswell then roped a 2-run double that scored Black, Boswell then came around to score on an error, and Alanis McClary got an RBI single to give the Spartans a 4-0 lead.
East did the rest of their damage with minimal hitting and capitalized on some Woodrow fielding mistakes. The Eagles were visibly frustrated and just seemed to quietly want the game to end. Plybon did have an RBI double amongst the chaos.
Smallwood, Beckley’s ace pitcher and one of the state’s best, lost three times to the Spartans this season and it’s past time to recognize Josi Ervin for the star she is and has been for East.
Ervin pitched another gem. Ervin, arguably the softball programs top pitcher in school history, pitched five innings, allowed just two hits and struck out nine batters. She threw just 60 pitches and 42 of them were strikes.
Boswell (1-2, 2 runs, RBI), McClary (1-2, run RBI) and Plybon (1-2, run, RBI) led the offense for the Spartans.
Smallwood was tagged for six hits and eight runs (five earned) in 4.2 innings.
With a little more than a week off, East can rest, relax and prepare for their next step, a possible state tournament appearance.
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