By Stephen Smoot
The Warriors of Pocahontas County served as the latest opponent to get a taste of the potent Pendleton County pairing of power and pitching last week. On Monday night, when the Wildcats honored their seniors, they quickly dispatched the visitors.
Pocahontas County opened the top of the first by seizing a 2-0 lead.
Jenna Smith, however, would answer immediately. She led off the bottom of the first by driving the first pitch to the wall in center field. The speedy Smith raced around the bases for an inside the park home run to cut the Warrior lead in half.
Avery Townsend came up next and the first pitch hit her, putting her on base. She subsequently stole second. Baylee Beachler sacrificed to move Townsend to third. Jessica Parker lofted a high fly ball to deep center to send in Townsend and take a 3-2 lead.
Later in the inning, with two outs, Lizzie Alt poked a seeing eye single past third to earn a double and Sarah Vincell picked up a run batted in with a fly to left.
Vincell took control in the second. She got the first batter to line out to her, then struck out the next two batters on four pitches each.
In the bottom of the second, Julia Mongold set the table with a leadoff walk. She stole second during the next at bat. Townsend followed with a walk. With two runners on, Beachler on the first pitch swinging belted a line drive home run to center to set the score at 7-2.
Still in the second, and with one out, Parker hit a double to right field. Kate Hedrick followed with a single that sent the lead runner to third. Alt’s sacrifice fly to center sent in Parker and scored the eighth run for the Wildcats. Vincell followed with an RBI single to left for the final run of the inning.
In the top of the third, Vincell continued to dominate the Warriors, showing deft command of a variety of pitches and setting down the batters in order.
Smith led off the bottom of the third by reaching second safely. Townsend followed by launching a shot past the right fielder to the wall. Smith scored, followed by Townsend as she hustled around the bases to help her team take an 11-2 advantage.
Next, Jaiden Mitts clubbed the ball to left and was safe on a stand up double. Madison Arbaugh then came up to bat and put the ball in play. Mitts scored and an error allowed Arbaugh to reach second. Hedrick drew a walk on a full count.
Alt came to the plate with runners on first and second. She took the first pitch over the wall into center field for a 15-2 lead.
In the top of the fourth, head coach Eric Crites put Smith in the game as pitcher to relieve the sharp Vincell. Smith hit the first batter, then gave up a bunt single. The next batter grounded to Hedrick who alertly threw the ball home to catcher Nataley Hedrick, getting the lead runner out and preventing the run.
Two batters later, with the bases loaded, the Warriors walked in a run. Smith, however, didn’t flinch. She struck out the next batter and relied on her defense to close out the inning.
In the bottom of the fourth, Smith led off with a double. Later, with two outs, Arbaugh smacked a single to left. After a series of errors, Smith scored and Arbaugh moved to third. Kate Hedrick then knocked Arbaugh home on a single to center.
In the final frame, Smith put two runners on, but Nataley Hedrick fired a throw to catch a runner stealing for the first out. The Warriors picked up two runs in the inning, but once again, Smith pitched her way out of trouble.
Five players hit home runs for the Wildcats, Townsend, Beachler, Smith, Alt, and Parker. Vincell was perfect in her two and a third innings, striking out six, but allowing no hits or bases on balls.
