Last week the Greenbrier East Spartans got some tune-up games scheduled before they have to face the George Washington Patriots in the regional finals tonight.
Unfortunately, in the second one, East fell behind early and could not come back in a 7-4 loss to the Bluefield Beavers on Thursday, May 19.
Bluefield scored on a double by Kerry Collins and an error in the first inning.
The Beavers scored three runs in the fourth inning with Hunter Harmon and Collins both driving in runs in the frame.
Collins earned the victory on the hill for Bluefield. He went 2.1 innings, allowed one run on two hits and struck out four. Ryker Brown and Caleb “Boo” Fuller entered the game out of the bullpen and helped to close it out in relief. Fuller recorded the last six outs to earn the save.
The Spartans’ comeback was going strong in the bottom of the sixth when Gabe Patton and Clayton Morgan both had RBI base hits. At that point, East had cut the deficit to 7-3.
Patton took the loss on the mound for the Spartans. He gave up seven runs (five earned) on nine hits over four innings. He struck out four batters.
Greenbrier East totaled seven hits in the game. Gavin Bennett and Darris Boswell both had multiple hits.
Bluefield pounded out 12 hits on the day.
Harmon and Collins stood out and had multiple hits for Bluefield.
Harmon went 4-for-4 and scored three runs. Collins had three RBI’s.
The Spartans will face the Patriots today at GW in game one of the best-of-three regional series.
