CHARLESTON- The Greenbrier East Lady Spartans picked up their most important, and arguably most impressive win of the season on Monday night, May 13 when they defeated the George Washington Lady Patriots 8-3 on the road in game one of the Regional Championship Series.
A rematch of last year’s regionals, the Spartans won game one then as well before losing the next two, the last one in extra innings, as their state tourney hopes were crushed in the process.
Now, East is back in the same position, needing just one more victory to reach their first state softball tournament in school history.
The Spartans (20-9) relied on the top of the lineup with help from no. 9 hitter Reagan Cline. Alanis McClary went 3-4 including a huge 2-run homer in the top of the fifth inning that put the Spartans up 4-1 at that point. She also scored three runs. Taylor Boswell was stellar and went 2-4 with a run and a team-leading four RBIs. Hailey Ervin scored twice, and Kayla Bartley knocked in two runs to help her own cause as she also started the game on the mound.
East jumped ahead in the first inning 1-0 on a Boswell RBI single that scored Ervin. Then, in the third frame, Boswell had another base knock that scored McClary. After three, East led 2-0.
Kaitlyn Swisher got to Bartley in the fourth when she knocked a home run over the center field fence. That hit cut the Spartan lead to 2-1 after four.
Then came McClary.
The senior leadoff hitter has arguably been the most consistent Spartan all season. Following a Cline single, McClary swung at the first pitch on the subsequent at-bat and crushed it over the left field fence as East took the momentum for a 4-1 lead.
The Patriots (20-9) though did answer with two runs of their own in the bottom half, but it could have been much worse. A bases-loaded walk scored one for GW and then a sac fly brought Addisyn Kelly home. Then, with two outs and runners still on second and third and two runs already in, Bartley got Addison Armstrong to pop out to East second baseman Ally Martin and the Spartans kept the damage to a minimum.
The Spartans broke the game open in the top of the seventh and proved they would not be denied a game one, road victory. Three straight singles led to a 2-run error, and Bartley capped the frame with a 2-run single that plated Ervin and Boswell. Bartley then sat the Patriots down 1-2-3 to close out the seventh.
Bartley went the distance in the circle and allowed just four hits, three runs, and struck out six.
East has a chance for history on Tuesday, May 14. They will host the Patriots in game number two at Spartan Yards at 6:00 PM. Fans are encouraged to pack the stands. If necessary, the final game three would be back in Charleston on Wednesday.
