CHARCMO (WVDN) – The Greenbrier West baseball team hasn’t enjoyed much success versus James Monroe over the last eight seasons (let’s make that seven seasons, given there was no baseball in 2020 due to the WVSSAC cancelling spring sports amidst the COVID-19 pandemic).
Any way you slice it, the Cavaliers hadn’t defeated the Mavericks since the season opener in March 2015, a 10-5 win in which Greenbrier West scored nine runs in the first inning. The Cavaliers overcame that history and a nine-game losing streak to the Mavericks on Monday night with a 3-2 win at Fleshman Field.
Cavalier senior Chase McClung saw his first extensive action on the mound this season, and the results were fabulous. McClung struck out the leadoff batter and induced two ground ball outs for a three up, three down first inning.
The Cavalier offense attacked immediately. Leadoff hitter Josh Jones blooped a single into shallow centerfield and promptly stole second base. Braydon McClung drew a four-pitch walk followed by an Ethan Holliday strikeout. Both Cavalier runners advanced 90 feet on a passed ball, setting up Chase McClung from the plate. Chase sailed a sacrifice fly into deep centerfield, scoring Jones and advancing Braydon to third. With Dale Boone at the plate, Maverick catcher Cooper Ridgeway tried to pick Braydon McClung off at third. Ridgeway sailed the ball into left field and Braydon scored for a 2-0 Cavalier advantage.
Maverick pitcher Luke Fraley struggled to find some consistency early. Boone threaded a two-out single through the left side to keep the pressure on James Monroe. Boone then stole second on a delay. Cole Vandall worked the count full before drawing a walk. With Jayden Robinson facing an 0-2 count, Boone remained aggressive and stole third base. After Fraley attempted several pickoffs at first, Vandall stole second putting both Cavalier baserunners in scoring position. Fraley, clearly rattled by the Greenbrier West lineup, threw up and in on Robinson, hitting him in the right tricep. With the bases loaded, West’s first inning attack would die when Colton Hamrick struck out on a foul tip.
Chase McClung, perhaps a little cooled off after the long bottom-half of the first inning, gave up back-to-back singles to begin the second inning. Fraley led off with a line drive to centerfield followed by a Jeffrey Jones single that advanced Fraley to third. Chase McClung buckled down to strike out Bryce Neal, then the West defense backed up their pitcher. Jordan Feamster hit a sharp grounder to Braydon McClung at shortstop. Braydon McClung initially had difficulty getting the mud-caked ball out of his hand as he maneuvered toward second base, but delivered an accurate toss to second baseman David Lester. Lester turned and fired the ball to Vandall at first. Vandall, outstretched for the short-hop throw, made a beautiful backhand scoop to complete the double-play and get the Cavaliers out of an early jam.
Fraley settled down in the bottom of the second inning, striking out Lester to retire the lead off. Jones stretched Fraley to a full count and drew a walk, but Fraley rebounded when Braydon McClung lined out to the shortstop Garrett Stutts. Jones had bolted for second base on the pitch and arrived at the bag just as Stutts completed the catch. Stutts lobbed the ball to for the 6-6-3 double play.
Chase McClung would answer Fraley’s effort with a 1-2-3 inning of his own. Chase McClung induced a groundball comebacker for the first out. Chase McClung struck out Hudson Boggess and Vandall ended the inning with an unassisted out on Grant Lively’s grounder.
Holliday sparked the Cavalier offense with a lead-off double to left field, then advanced to third on a wild pitch. Chase McClung hit a sharp grounder up the middle and reached first on an error by Maverick shortstop Stutts. Holliday scored on the play, adding an important insurance run. Fraley buckled down, getting Boone to pop out and striking out Vandall. Robinson was able to draw a walk before Fraley got Hamrick to pop out to Stutts. The Cavaliers led 3-0 after three.
The top of the fourth provided more outstanding defensive effort from Greenbrier West. Stutts grounded up the middle with Chase McClung fielding the ball and outracing Stutts to the bag. Holliday made a spectacular catch for the second out, leaping backwards on a high foul ball just behind home plate and landing flat on his back as he secured the catch. Chase McClung scooped up a Fraley hit and fired to first, ending the top half of the fourth.
The Mavericks matched the Cavalier effort in the bottom half. Lester struck out looking on a Fraley fastball. Jones made the second out when leftfielder Jordan Feamster ranged to his left to settle under a line drive. Second baseman Bryce Neal collected a Braydon McClung grounder and fired to first to end the fourth with West leading 3-0.
The fifth inning was a scoreless affair for both teams. Chase McClung issued his only walk of the inning to start the fifth. Neal singled forcing Jeffrey Jones to second where he was thrown out on a fielder’s choice. Feamster hit a fly ball to Hamrick and Josiah Hodges grounded into another fielder’s choice for the third out. The Cavaliers then flied out twice for two quick outs. Boone and Vandall both rallied West with a couple of singles, but a baserunning gaffe by a pinch runner cost the Cavaliers the inning.
Greenbrier West went to Boone to close out the game on the mound. Boone retired Hudson Boggess looking for the first out. Grant Lively drew a four pitch walk to give the Mavericks life. Stutts followed with a single that advanced Lively to third. Ridgeway then laced an RBI double to centerfield. Fraley grounded into a fielder’s choice that scored Stutts. With the lead down to one run, Boone torched Jones with a three-pitch strikeout to end the top of the sixth.
Greenbrier West looked to add some insurance runs in bottom half of the inning, but the Cavalier bats had cooled considerably. Tucker Gibson popped out in foul territory, Hamrick grounded out to second, and Lester popped out in foul territory to give Fraley another three up, three down inning.
Needing three outs to secure the win, Greenbrier West’s defense locked it down. Neal hit a weak dribbler in front of the plate, but Holliday was able to bolt out of the catcher’s box and throw him out with ease for out number one. Boone then sat Feamster down with a 2-2 curveball. Boggus hit a soft grounder that Chase McClung had to charge to get to, throwing to first on the run to end the game.
Greenbrier West improved to 4-1 with the win. It was the Cavaliers’ first game since March 30. The Cavaliers hosted Summers County Thursday evening, and will host Mt. View Friday evening, Westside at noon on Saturday, and Ravenswood at 5:30 Saturday evening.
James Monroe 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 – 2 5 2
Greenbrier West 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 – 3 5 0
Pitchers and catchers: GW – Chase McClung, Dale Boone and Ethan Holliday; JM – Luke Fraley and Cooper Ridgeway. WP – MCClung LP – Fraley Save – Boone
Hitting: GW – Josh Jones 1-2, Ethan Holliday 1-3 RBI 2B, Chase McClung 2 RBI, Cole Vandall 1-2, Dale Boone 2-3; JM – Garrett Stutts 1-3, Cooper Ridgeway 1-3 RBI 2B, Luke Fraley 1-3 RBI, Jeffrey Jones 1-2, Bryce Neal 1-3.
This page is available to subscribers. Click here to sign in or get access.