By Stephen Smoot
It is said that March comes in like a lion and rolls out like a lamb.
The humble, yet hungry Pendleton County Wildcats, have roared like a lion as the month has come to a close. Playing seven games in six days, mostly against schools in larger classes, the team scored 93 and allowed 13.
On March 26, the Wildcats hosted Luray, Virginia. Isabella Lockard picked up the win as she scattered five runs over three innings. Pendleton County did not wait to take command in this matchup.
Avery Townsend led the game off with a walk, then advanced to second quickly on a wild pitch to the subsequent batter, Baylee Beachler. Beachler then drove Townsend home with a single.
Two batters later and with two on base, Lizzie Alt blasted a home run into right field to push the score to 4-1. Parker then walked and scored on an error.
In the bottom of the second, Alt again picked up her teammates. With two outs and two runners on, Alt scored Beachler and Molly Rowe (courtesy running for Jenna Smith) on a line drive shot to left field. A Parker single and a Susan Vincell double pushed the advantage to 9-2.
A Townsend inside the park home run that drove in Lexi Tingler and Lockard ended the game with a 14-6 win for the Wildcats.
Next, the Wildcats took a long road trip to Richwood to face the Lady Jacks. Townsend opened up the game with a single. Beachler doubled on a one ball and no strike count to drive her in for the first run. With two outs and Smith and Tingler (who was running for Beachler) on, Vincell drove a sharply hit ground ball to left field. Two runs scored, making the score 3-0.
Julia Mongold then followed, driving Vincell home on a fielding error.
Beachler pitched the first two innings and struck out six, allowing no hits or walks.
In the top of the second, Rowe led off with a walk. Townsend drove a pitch to deep right, sending Rowe in to score first, then reaching home plate herself for an inside the park home run. Beachler followed in the next at bat by hitting a home run in the more conventional fashion, over the left field fence.
In the top of the next inning, Townsend repeated the feat, driving in Madison Arbaugh who had led off the inning with a single.
Later in the inning with two outs, Smith hit a triple. This was followed by an Alt single that batted in Smith. Two batters later, Vincell hit a single that scored Lockard and Marleigh Moyers (a courtesy runner). A Mongold single scored Moyers and pushed the lead to 13-0.
The score ended in a 20-3 win for the visitors.
During the West Virginia National Guard event in Charleston, Pendleton County battled East Fairmont in double header action.
The first game saw Beachler and Vincell combine to deal a no hitter. Beachler struck out five and Vincell one as they silenced the Bee bats.
Pendleton County scored four in the first inning. Townsend led off with a double, followed by Beachler reaching second on her hit as well, sending the runner home for the first run.
Smith, then Alt, hit singles to push the score to 3-0. Later in the inning, Chesnee Colaw drew a walk with the bases loaded to add to the run total.
The Wildcats then scored four in the second and won the game 15-0. Pendleton County took the subsequent game 14-6.
The month ended with a 14-3 win over Lewis County and a 16-1, a two and a half inning win over the Warriors of Pocahontas County.
The schedule gets more local as the season moves into April. Tuesday, Pendleton County took on Moorefield, then will play at Petersburg today, and home against Tygarts Valley Friday. The Wildcats travel to Moorefield on April 9.
