Getting hot in early May is typically a good strategy in softball, And that is exactly what the Greenbrier East Lady Spartans are doing.
East got a masterful pitching performance from Josi Ervin and a critical 2-run home run from Taylor Boswell enroute to a 4-0 shutout victory over the Woodrow Wilson Flying Eagles in the Region 3, Section 2 semifinals on Wednesday, May 4.
Ervin had all the right stuff on the mound outside of a slight jam in the first inning. But she got out of it unscathed, and the pitchers duel was on from there.
Beckley’s freshman sensation, Aubrey Smallwood, had a perfect game through four innings and was masterful in her own right, but in the top half of the fifth, East found the scoreboard.
Alanis McClary ripped a double to left field that scored Boswell and the Spartans went ahead 1-0.
Two Beckley errors to begin the sixth was just what the doctor ordered for the Spartans. Aubrey Glover reached base on an error and Brooke Davis did the same. Glover then scored on an error by the catcher for a 2-0 Spartans lead, and that is when Boswell let it rip.
She took a 1-1 pitch and absolutely drilled it over the fence sending the Spartan faithful into a frenzy as East sealed the deal on their biggest rivals and scored arguably their biggest victory of the season.
Ervin lasted seven innings for a complete game, allowed four hits and zero runs while striking out six.
Smallwood took the loss for Woodrow. She allowed three hits and four runs over seven innings. She did, however strike out 17 Spartan hitters.
Ervin, Alanis Mcclary, and Boswell all had one hit to lead Greenbrier East.
The Spartans were still without Olivia Plybon and Lindsey Black. Lilly Carola had missed some games lately as well but returned to the lineup tonight.
The Spartans will play the winner of Princeton and these same Beckley Flyimg Eagles this Friday night, May 6.
