PRINCETON- It wasn’t what the Spartans were hoping for this year, a 4-27 record, with a roster full of mostly underclassmen.
But in Tuesday’s 3-2 loss to Princeton in the regionals that sent them home for good, Greenbrier East battled and showed a never-say-die mentality and was able to hold their heads high even in defeat.
The Spartans had a runner on third in the top of the seventh that could have tied the contest but just couldn’t quite capitalize.
East mustered only five hits on the night against the Tigers pitching staff as Layne Lambert was 2-3 with an RBI and Bo Bundy went 2-3 as well. Sonny Herbert had the other Spartan base knock.
Speaking of Lambert, the senior ended his Spartan career leaving it all out on the field as he pitched a complete game, allowed just five hits, two earned runs, and struck out 11 Tigers on the night. The WV Daily News East baseball player of the year winner, who battled some injury issues through the season, will play for Concord next spring.
Only two other seniors will exit this version of Spartan baseball in Brayden Brown and Braden Teaney. Brown is also headed to Concord next year but will play football and Teaney is headed to Saint Vincent College to continue his baseball career.
Head coach Cory Mann and his staff will bring back a lot of the roster next season and 2027 could look a whole lot different for the Spartans in the win and loss column.
