SOPHIA, WV- As the old saying goes, the next stop is the state tournament.
Well, that may not be a saying we are familiar with, but it is time to learn quickly as the Central Greenbrier 10–12-year-old all-stars are headed there exactly after a thrilling title game on Saturday, July 1.
Peyton Ervin ripped a 1-2 pitch to left field in the bottom of the sixth for a walk-off game winner as Central Greenbrier defeated Shady Spring 3-2 and will now head to Bridgeport for the state tournament.
Nothing about the game was easy and the nerves were high in stands and on the field.
Central Greenbrier fell behind 2-0 in the top of the second inning but kept their composure the rest of the way and remained focused on the task at hand.
Alex Hanna got the comeback started with a solo home run to center field in the bottom of the third that cut the deficit to 2-1 after three.
Hanna then did some work on the mound as well. In the fourth frame and Shady Spring runners on second and third, Hanna struck out Hunter B. to escape the inning unscathed.
Fast forward to the last inning, the bottom of the sixth, when Bo Bundy hit an RBI single that scored Hanna to knot the score at 2-all. Elijah Sherman then walked, and Acen Workman had a tough strikeout that made two outs in the inning. That is when Ervin’s game winning hit sent Central Greenbrier to Bridgeport.
Hanna went 2-2 at the plate. He scored two runs and drove in one. Bundy and Ervin had the other two RBIs.
On the mound, Hanna had a complete game six-hitter, He gave up two unearned runs and struck out seven.
There has always been something extremely special about playing meaningful baseball in July, and this group of youngsters is about to experience that feeling in the next couple weeks.
CG’s first official game in the state tourney will be on July 14.
