By Stephen Smoot
“Ladies and gentlemen, pl
By Stephen Smoot
“Ladies and gentlemen, please do not panic. But scream! Scream for your lives!”
This line was delivered in the rich golden tenor of the legendary Vincent price 65 years ago in a huge motion picture hit film called “The Tingler.” Over the past few years, Wildcat baseball hitters have likely felt a little pang of trepidation and felt as if in a horror film themselves when facing Petersburg pitcher Peyton Tingler.
Tingler has overwhelmed most in his career with the Vikings and came to distribute some dread last week as Pendleton County played host.
Petersburg picked up their first run of the game when, who else, Tingler hit a single to right, driving in a baserunner from first. The Wildcats got two on in their half of the inning as Tingler walked Chase Owens and hit James Vincell with a pitch. Tingler, however, got Cashton Kisamore to pop out and then picked up a strikeout to close the inning.
Owens silenced the Vikings in the second inning, inducing three of the four batters he faced to hit ground balls to his infielders.
In the bottom of the second, both Dillon and Dusty Smith earned walks. Tingler threw out Dillon Smith on a fielder’s choice, then earned a strikeout to close the inning.
Owens picked up the first out in the top of the third, but then gave up a double. Later in the inning, a single drove the Viking baserunner home to extend their lead to 2-0.
The bottom of the third and top of the fourth were mirrors of each other as Owens and Tingler both masterfully set down the opposing teams in order. Cam Beachler then led off the bottom of the fourth with a double to left. Wildcat bats, however, could not drive him in. Petersburg got their fourth run in the top of the fifth when Tingler hit a sacrifice fly to score a runner from third.
In the bottom of the seventh, down 5-0, Caleb Armentrout led off with a single, but Tingler settled in, struck out the next two, and got the final batter to ground out.
Petersburg 6 Pendleton County 2 (Softball)
In the seesaw battle of single A softball teams dominating the Potomac Highlands, Pendleton County claimed two wins and Petersburg one. The Vikings this season featured pitching sensation Sammy Colaw, who earned one win earlier in the year, but dropped a defeat to Susan Vincell and the Wildcats more recently.
Colaw got a measure of revenge in the sectionals.
Petersburg held a second place ranking in the state, two spots over Pendleton County. The Wildcats, however, earned the first seed in the sectional tournament.
The Vikings picked up their first run in the first inning, earning a walk with the bases loaded. In the bottom of the inning, Petersburg gave up a walk to Avery Townsend, picked up an out on the first two batters, intentionally walked Baylee Beachler and then ended the inning with a double play
In the top of the fourth, Petersburg added to their lead. The first batter flied out to left, but the next two reached safely. Colaw helped her own cause, picking up a run batted in on a double. She then scored two batters later on a single to set the lead at 4-0.
Pendleton County cut the lead in half in the bottom of the fifth. Kate Hedrick led off with an opposite field single to right.
Petersburg then picked up two outs on a strikeout and by throwing Hedrick out stealing second. Nataley Hedrick then drew a walk, followed by a base on balls issued to Townsend by way of being hit by a pitch. Jenna Smith loaded the bases with a walk to set up a Beachler double that drove in two.
In the top of the fifth, however, the Vikings picked up two runs to reestablish their four-run advantage. Colaw then got the last six outs in the last two innings to secure the win.
