ELKINS- If there was a more exciting state tournament game on Saturday than Central Greenbrier 12U and Martinsburg, someone messaged me because I missed it.
Central Greenbrier trailed 7-5 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, but a 2-run homer from Hendo Bostic tied the game at 7-apiece and then in extra innings, Dawson Holliday singled home the game winning run for a dramatic 8-7 victory for the hometown heroes.
CG actually jumped out in front early on in the first. Bostic singled to lead things off then Trenton Skaggs followed with another. Zander Rodoussakis got hit by a pitch and finally, Cam Bectel ripped a base hit to center that brought Bostic home. Also on the play, an error allowed two more runs to score and Central took a 3-0 lead.
Martinsburg got a run in the third inning, but in the bottom half, Central Greenbrier answered again. Skaggs got an RBI groundout that scored Spencer Holliday and Rodoussakis singled home Bostic on a shot to left and CG led 5-1 after three.
But Martinsburg got going in the fourth and after they cut the score to 5-2, they got a 3-run double from Hudson M that tied the game at 5-5 deflating the Central Greenbrier crowd for the time being.
Central then was retired in order and the Martinsburg got going again and took a 7-5 lead with the inning capped by Lincoln M’s RBI single.
With the score the same in the bottom of the sixth, momentum swung completely back to the Central Greenbrier dugout. Spencer Holliday led off the inning with a walk and then Bostic dug into the batter’s box. First pitch, ball. Second pitch, BOOM. Goodbye, 2-run homer, game tied at 7-7 as the crowd went wild. That score sent the game to extra innings with Central confident again.
With two outs in the top of the seventh and the bases loaded, Rodoussakis, who pitched two scoreless innings, got Jace B to groundout to Skaggs at third and ended the inning in a nerve-wracking type of way.
Then in the seventh, Zayden Walker led off with a single. A walk to Tucker Sibold followed. Finally, with one out, Dawson Holliday singled to right field, Walker scored, and Central Greenbrier celebrated staying in the winner’s bracket.
Bostic led the offense and went 3-3 with a home run, three runs scored, and two RBIs. Bectel went 2-3 with an RBI. Skaggs, Rodoussakis, Walker, and Dawson Holliday all had a hit.
Rodoussakis got the win on the mound.
CG moves on to play Bridgeport on Sunday afternoon at 1:30 PM. Stay tuned to WVDN-Facebook for score updates and results.
