FAIRLEA- The day wasn’t 100 percent positive for the Greenbrier East Spartans baseball team on Saturday afternoon, but the chance to honor seniors who have dedicated themselves to the program is always one that will outweigh any negative.
Before Greenbrier East’s 6-2 loss to Sissonville, the Spartans recognized five seniors whose careers at Spartan Yards are quickly coming to a close.
Zion Detko, Ashton Cochran, Eli Green, Brayden Bascombe, and Joe Baker and their families stepped onto the field before first pitch as part of the ceremony. All five players have played crucial roles for the Spartans this year. Three of those players– Detko (Charleston), Cochran (undecided), and Green (Concord)– will play college baseball next year.
As for the game, the Indians took advantage of all the early emotions and used it to their advantage to score three runs in the opening inning.
Nate Simonton had an RBI single and two batters later, Jacob Coleman replicated that as well. Rocco Lazo would score on a pass ball to conclude the Sissonville (15-7) scoring and they led 3-0 quickly.
The Indians then added a run in the second on a Spartan error and led 4-0.
In the bottom of the second, the Spartans tried to chip away and did so on Eli Green’s single that plated Nelson Lynch and after two frames, Sissonville led 4-1.
It was a defensive battle the rest of the way for the most part.
Green did get his second run scoring base hit in the fourth, but East (16-11) never got closer. They put two runners on in the bottom of the seventh, but Indian pitcher Eli Simonton struck out Graham Brewster and Clay Patton to end the ballgame.
Green’s 2-3 day and two RBIs led the Spartans offensive attack. In relief, Lynch pitched six innings and allowed just one unearned run.
E. Simonton went 2-4 at the plate to lead Sissonville and had 11 strikeouts on the mound.
