The Greenbrier East Lady Spartans ended their regular season this past weekend after crushing the Princeton Tigers 17-2 and following that up with another brilliant performance, a 14-3 victory over the George Washington Patriots on Saturday, May 29.
East will be riding high when sectional tournament play begins this Tuesday, June 1.
The Spartans actually trailed the Tigers 2-0 in the first inning after Princeton scored both runs on bases loaded walks, but when East came to the plate in the bottom half, it was basically game over.
Aubrey Glover doubled, then stole third base and home for the Spartans’ first run of the day.
An amazing five batters would be hit by a pitch sandwiched around a Princeton error and a walk, and then the bats did the rest. Annabelle Honaker, Taylor Graham, Lindsey Black and Ella Asbury all drove in runs on singles and the Spartans were dominating with a 12-2 lead.
The Spartans added five more in the second when Honaker doubled in a run, Graham singled one in and Black doubled again. The game was called after two-and-a half innings of play.
Honaker (2-2, three runs, three RBI’s) and Black (2-2, three runs, two RBI’s) led the Spartans offensive attack. Graham (two hits, two RBI’s), Glover and Asbury also hit the ball well.
Graham picked up the pitching win.
The Spartans continued their offensive prowess against the Patriots.
Josie Patterson seems to be getting hot at the right time as she drove in five runs on three hits including a home run that scorched over the left field fence, and East cruised easily past George Washington. Patterson missed a handful of games at the start of the season due to also playing basketball, but is now finding her groove, and will be counted on heavily over the next week or two.
George Washington scored three runs in the first inning. The offensive firepower from GW was led by Zoe Evans.
The Spartans pulled away for good with six runs in the second frame. In that inning, Josi Ervin drew a walk, which scored a run, Graham singled on the first pitch of her at bat and knocked in two runs, Patterson doubled on a 1-1 count that scored two more, and Olivia Plybon hit an RBI double on a 2-2 count to cap the big inning.
Graham got the win for East. The senior allowed just three runs on four hits over five innings and stuck out 10 batters.
Hayleigh Adkins toed the rubber for George Washington. She went 1.2 innings, gave up six runs on two hits and struck out one. Grace Smith threw 2.2 innings in relief out of the bullpen.
East totaled 12 hits.
Plybon, Patterson, Graham, Brooke Davis, and Ervin all had multiple hits for East Spartans.
Patterson and Plybon each collected three.
Davis led East with two stolen bases. The Spartans stole eight as a team.
East (15-6) will host sectional play this Tuesday at 6:30 PM. They will play the Woodrow Wilson Flying Eagles.
Fans are encouraged to pack the stands and cheer the girls to victory.
