HINTON (WVDN) – Greenbrier West rolled to their second victory in as many games on Friday night, dropping Summers County 17-4. Tucker Gibson got the start on the mound, collecting the win while striking out three Bobcats. Gibson also bashed his first career home run. Ethan Holliday continued to have a hot bat as well, going 3-3 including his first home run of the season. Holliday also had a double, two stolen bases, and tallied 5 RBI’s while scoring three runs for the 2-0 Cavaliers.
Josh Jones set the stage for the West offense with a sharp single to lead off the game. Braydon McClung started the scoring parade with an RBI single, and Holliday put his stamp on the game with a towering 2-run shot over the fence in left center. Chase McClung singled to left, followed by a Dale Boone strikeout. Colton Hamrick grounded out to third but collected the RBI as Chase McClung was able to scoot home on the contact. Cole Vandall drew a walk setting the stage for Gibson. Gibson crushed a ball down the left field line for an apparent home run and a six-run lead. Summers County appealed Gibson’s score for failing to touch the plate and he was ruled out. The Cavaliers had jumped out to a commanding 5-0 lead.
With the top of the inning under their belts, it was time for the Cavaliers to flash the leather. Ben Lane led off for the Bobcats and reached on an error but his time on the basepaths would be cut short. With Sam Whittaker facing a 0-2 count, Lane attempted to steal second. Boone fired the ball to second base with Chase McClung flashing ahead of the bag in time to swipe the tag for the first out. Whittaker proceeded to bloop a ball into shallow center field that Colton Hamrick laid out for. The ball was just short of Hamrick’s glove, and it rolled toward the fence. Cavalier rightfield Davey Lester pursued the ball on a dead sprint, picking it up and firing it in as Whittaker rounded second. As Whittaker raced to third, Braydon McClung cutoff the throw and fired to third. Holliday received the ball as Whittaker arrived and applied the tag for out number two. It was an electric defensive play that had the West bench on its feet. Gibson struck out Brandon Isaac to end an eventful first inning.
The Cavaliers would add two runs in the second. Lester led off and struck out. Jones reached on an error but was caught stealing. Braydon McClung doubled into right field then scored on a Holliday double that ricocheted off the fence. Holliday quickly stole third base, then trotted home after an errant throw sailed into left field. Chase McClung flied out to end the half-inning with West leading 6-0.
Summers County plated two runs in the bottom of the second inning when Alex Hudgins, who led off with a Bobcat walk, scored on a TJ Gill single. Ben Lane collected an RBI when he pushed Devin Mansfield across with a fly ball to centerfield. Gibson struck out two for Greenbrier West and induced a grounder to Chase McClung for the third out.
The Cavaliers blew the lid off the game in the top of the third inning. Dale Boone singled off Summers County’s Jacob Boone then promptly stole second. The Bobcat Boone would struggle, walking Hamrick and Vandall and ending his night on the mound. Whittaker relieved Boone but did not fare much better. Gibson reached on error, scoring both Dale Boone and Hamrick while Vandall landed at third. Lester followed with an RBI single to left, Jones and Braydon walked, and Holliday bagged two more RBIs with a single to right field. Chase McClung and Boone drew walks, scoring Braydon and loading the bases. Whittaker momentarily stopped the bleeding with a strikeout of Hamrick, but Vandall grabbed an RBI with a single to centerfield. Remey McClung reached first on a check-swing ground ball and an error by Whittaker, scoring Chase McClung in the process. Boone scored on a fielder’s choice that collected Jayden Robinson for the second out, and Jones struck out swinging. When the dust had settled, the Cavaliers had added ten runs to put the game out of reach at 17-2.
Hudgins and Lane would add a run a piece for the Bobcats in the bottom of the third and fourth innings, respectively. Hunter Ridgeway would relieve Gibson for the Cavaliers and give up three hits, strike out two, and allow one earned run. Chase McClung closed the game with three strikeouts and one hit batsman.
The 17-4 win was the Cavaliers’ largest margin of victory in Hinton since winning 16-3 on March 28, 2011. Greenbrier West, 2-0, travels to Midland Trail on Tuesday, Richwood on Wednesday, and James Monroe on Thursday.
Greenbrier West 5 2 10 0 0 – 17
Summers County 0 2 1 1 0 – 4
Pitchers and catchers – GW: Tucker Gibson, Hayden Ridgeway, Chase McClung – Dale Boone; SC: Jacob Boone, Sam Whittaker – Grady Allen. WP – Gibson LP- J. Boone.
Hitting – GW: Ethan Holliday 3-3, HR, 2B (5 RBI); Braydon McClung 2-2, 2B (RBI); David Lester 1-2 (RBI), Dale Boone 1-2 (RBI); Cole Vandall 1-1 (RBI); Tucker Gibson 1-2, HR (2 RBI); Chase McClung 1-2; Jayden Robinson (RBI); Colton Hamrick (RBI): SC: Ben Lane 1-3 (RBI); Sam Whittaker 2-3, Brandon Isaac (RBI); Peyton Miller 1-3; Devin Mansfield 1-2 (RBI); TJ Gill 1-3 (RBI); Jacob Boone 1-2.
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