A walk-off left the Greenbrier East Lady Spartans on the wrong end of an eighth inning, 4-3 defeat to the St. Albans Red Dragons on Tuesday, May 17, in game one of a best-of-three regional championship series.
The game was tied at 3-all, and the Spartans had competed their hearts out all game, but Kyndall Harper took a 1-1 pitch to left field for a solo home run and wrapped up St. Albans’ victory.
The Spartans led 3-0 after five innings.
In the top of the third, Aubrey Glover kept the inning alive with a 2-out double. Brooke Davis then got on base on an error and Glover came around to score. At that point, it was 1-0 Spartans.
Riley Norman came up with a huge 2-run single in the fifth that plated Gracie Gumm and Glover for East’s 3-run lead.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, St. Albans tied things up at 3-apiece on Ava Bentley’s RBI double.
The Red Dragons scored a total of three runs in that sixth inning. Kayla Coffman also had a 2-run single.
Tayven Stephenson was credited with the victory for St. Albans. She is one of the best pitchers in the state and the Spartans did a good job of getting to her. She went eight innings, allowed three runs on eight hits, but struck out 16.
Josi Ervin took the loss for the Spartans.
The southpaw pitched well and surrendered four runs on five hits over 7.1 innings and struck out four.
Greenbrier East totaled eight hits on the night.
Norman (2-4, two RBIs) and Taylor Boswell (2-3) both collected multiple hits. Glover scored two runs.
The Spartans now must win the last two games to advance to the state tournament. Game two is set for tonight Wednesday, May 18, at Spartan Field in Fairlea.
