By Stephen Smoot
From any angle, reviewing Pendleton County’s softball team by the numbers brings up eye-popping results.
The team opened its season on March 22 against a fully loaded Frankfort squad who is currently 7-0 and ranked fourth as the sole undefeated team in Class AAA. Including that game, the team competed in 12 games within 12 days.
Normally such a grueling stretch would wear down a team. The Wildcats, however, have won 11 straight. The closest margin of victory came over Keyser with a score of 6-0. Twice, the team posted 20 or more runs.
As far as total team scoring is concerned, Pendleton County 154/opponents 36.
The Wildcats have earned respect across the state for their opening month. Along with Wahama, whose campus is within shouting distance of the Ohio River in Mason County, Pendleton County has taken first place in the West Virginia Metro News rankings.
Pendleton County 7 Moorefield 1
April opened with a battle against an old nemesis as Pendleton County hosted the Yellow Jackets of Moorefield, ranked 10 in Class AA by West Virginia Metro News. Recent seasons saw Moorefield able to sting the Wildcats here and there as both squads fielded strong teams.
Baylee Beachler opened the game by striking out three of four batters in the first inning. The Wildcats then opened the bottom of the first with a barrage, starting with Avery Townsend hitting a single to left. Beachler came up next and was sent to first courtesy of being hit by a pitch.
Jenna Smith came to the plate with Beachler on first and Townsend (very temporarily) on second. Townsend stole to third on the initial pitch while Callie Judy, inserted as a courtesy runner for Beachler, took second. Smith drove the ball to shallow center, sending Townsend over the plate for the first run of the game. Judy then scored on a sacrifice by Lizzie Alt.
Shortly thereafter, with two outs, Smith scored on a passed ball and the first inning ended with the Wildcats up 3-0.
The Moorefield pitcher settled in after the initial flurry and allowed no runs over the next two innings. In the fourth, however, Chesnee Colaw reached on a single. Later in the inning with two outs, Beachler drove a one strike pitch into center field for a double to extend the lead to 4-0.
The Yellow Jackets answered with a run in the top of the fifth. Pitching and defense helped them to stay in contention until the bottom of the sixth.
Julia Mongold doubled with one out, to be batted in shortly thereafter by a Townsend double, pushing the lead to 5-1. Beachler followed by clearing the bases with a home run to center. Beacher and Townsend currently tie for the team lead in that category with five a piece.
Susan Vincell then shut down the Yellow Jackets in the last inning, striking out the first hitter and inducing the next two to fly out.
Pendleton County 9 Petersburg 1
In two days, two top 10 and area rival teams in from Class AA presented little problem for Pendleton County.
Last Thursday, the Wildcats stalked the Vikings in their home lair and started strong as the first three batters reached base. Townsend singled, followed by walks from Beachler and Smith. As Smith drew the walk, Townsend stole home, giving her 18 on the season so far.
Two batters later, a Parker single scored Smith for the second run of the contest.
In the bottom of the first, Petersburg singled, then saw their lineup set down in order. Beachler did not allow a Viking to reach base in the bottom of the second.
Scoring started again in the third. Beachler belted a line drive to left field for a solo home run, extending the lead to 3-0. In the bottom of the fourth, the Vikings answered on a double RBI to right for their first and only run.
Pendleton County built onto their lead in the top of the fifth. Molly Rowe led off the inning with a clutch two strike pitch bunted softly down the third base line. Bunting on a two strike count carries risk as fouling while bunting in that situation gets the batter out. Mongold followed that with a single.
With one out Beachler took an intentional walk to load the bases, the Vikings trying to avoid her power while giving their defense a chance to end the inning on a double play. Instead, Smith grounded to third base and reached on an error. Rowe scored to extend the lead to 4-1.
Alt then battled through eight pitches to earn a walk and send Mongold home for the fifth run. Parker picked up an RBI by grounding into a fielder’s choice to score Judy, in as a courtesy runner. In the next at bat Vincell was hit by a pitch, sending in the seventh run.
Beachler used her defense to work her way through a one-two-three inning in the fifth, leading to another productive inning offensively for the Wildcats. Alt smashed a triple to center field, scoring Judy and Smith for the eighth and ninth runs, respectively.
Pendleton County 17 Tygarts Valley 1 Pendleton County 22 Tygarts Valley 6
On a muddy, rainy, dreary Friday, all was sunny in Franklin Town Park. The Bulldogs crossed Allegheny and North Mountains to play two games, totaling five and a half innings, and allowing 39 runs to seven scored.
In the first inning of game one, the Wildcats posted 11 runs. Up 2-0 with no outs, Isabella Lockard got down in the count two to nothing, but fought her way back to earn a walk. During her at bat, a wild pitch scored Smith to set the score at 3-0. Shortly after, Jayden Mitts took a walk on four pitches to load the bases.
This set up another bases loaded situation in which a Mongold base on balls led to Lockard scoring. Three batters later, a Beachler walk enabled Mitts to score.
In the second inning, with Mitts at third and Mongold on first, a Townsend infield single to short scored Mitts. Later in the inning Smith picked up her first home run of the year, a grand slam to push the score to 16-1. Alt scored the final run on a bunt which led to errors that ended up with Alt reaching home plate.
The second game started off with a smash as Townsend’s shot to left field sent her all the way around the bases. Beachler then walked on four pitches and scored when Smith belted a triple to right.
Parker walked, followed by Lockard taking a base on balls due to being hit by a pitch.
In the third inning, Rowe took the mound for the Wildcats. In her first varsity action pitching she battled the Bulldogs fiercely, giving up some scoring, but also completing the inning with three strikeouts total.
This week, Pendleton County traveled to Moorefield on Wednesday, hosts Richwood today, then returns to Moorefield on Friday and Saturday for the Bub Riggleman Tournament. Friday, they play Williamsport, Maryland, at noon and Hedgesville at 4 p.m.
