MYRTLE BEACH, SC- It may not have seemed like it, but pitching was an option in Monday’s first game in Myrtle Beach for the Greenbrier East Lady Spartans matchup with the Bishop Ireton (VA) Eagles.
But both teams decided that on the first day in their tournament at the beach, offense was going to be the main focus.
The Lady Spartans got a clutch, game-winning hit from Reagan Cline in the bottom of the seventh inning that brought Norah Ambler across home plate as Greenbrier East won a thrilling, error-filled slugfest 17-16.
It was the Spartans’ fourth consecutive victory (5-3)
East took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first on a sac fly from Maddie Baker, an RBI double from Haylee Heaster, and a run scoring base hit from Lacy Patriacca.
But that lead quickly evaporated in the next half inning as Bishop Ireton took advantage of three Lady Spartan errors and then capped the frame with an RBI single from Ciara Funk and the Lady Eagles led 4-3.
Then, the Spartans began the bottom of the second with four consecutive base hits–three singles from Ambler, Cline, and Baker–and an RBI double from Kennah Collins. Baker would later score the final run of the inning on a Bishop Ireton error and Greenbrier East led 6-4 after two.
Cline ripped a triple that she tried to stretch the whole way in the third, but she was thrown out. However, two runs came across on the play and East had retaken an 8-6 lead after the Eagles had tied it up again in the previous frame.
But the back-and-forth madness continued into the fourth inning. Lucy Roche’s 2-run triple gave the Eagles back a 9-8 lead and then she scored on Rachel Klarik’s single. After that half of the inning, Bishop led 10-8.
Ambler’s RBI single in the bottom of the fourth tied the game back up at 10-all, then Cline slapped a 2-run double that plated Sydney Norman and Ambler, and the Spartans were back in front 12-10.
Skipping ahead to the top of the seventh, the Lady Spartans were clinging to a 15-13 lead, but a 2-run triple from Roche, who also scored on an errant throw, gave the Lady Eagles a one-run lead.
Finally, in the bottom of the seventh, the never-quit Spartans cooked something up. Bailee Cleghon led off the inning with a walk and then she scored on Ambler’s triple to knot the contest at 16-16. That is when Cline finished the day off with her walk-off base hit and the Lady Spartans jumped for joy after the legendary victory.
Lady Spartan Box Score:
