By Stephen Smoot
The baseball schedule had originally marked Highland County [Virginia] as traveling to play Pendleton County on Monday, but that script flipped.
“Highland backed out on us,” explained Sam Yokum, head coach.
Class A teams in the region have grown few and far between, forcing the Wildcats to play up to teams in Class AA and AAA. Spring Mills competes in the highest classification of state schools, Class AAAA.
On the road last week, the Wildcats played Spring Mills even until the fifth inning when an explosion of runs gave them a 17-7 win over Pendleton County. Yokum said of playing teams of this caliber, “It’s good for them to see how these teams warm up, how they make plays.”
Outside of a narrow loss to a very strong Tygarts Valley squad, the Wildcats have played seven games against much larger schools. Only two of the remaining seven will come against Class A. While this gives an opportunity to forge skills against better competition, the schedule gives Pendleton County one of the tougher slates of games at any level, but provides preparation for the postseason.
The Wildcats had to play this game also without top pitchers Chase Owens and Cole Harper who were resting up with Moorefield on the docket the very next day.
Mason Harper started the game getting the leadoff batter to strike out on three pitches. After that, however, the big bats from the big school were ready and put four runs up early.
Pendleton County tried to respond in the bottom of the inning. Caleb Armentrout worked a two balls and one strike count before slapping a single to right field. Spring Mills’ right fielder boasts a strong throwing arm and nearly threw the fast-charging Armentrout out at first.
Travis Owens came up second and worked a one ball and two strike count into a walk to put two on. James Vincell followed. He belted a screaming line drive to third base, but the fielder leapt gracefully to his right and snagged the certain extra base hit from the air. The quick thinking fielder doubled up the base runner at second.
Yokum used approximately one pitcher per inning, giving some of his younger pitchers important game reps and his experienced throwers an opportunity to get work in. Cashton Kisamore came in for the second inning. He throws some sidearm and has some deceptive motion when throwing from the stretch.
Spring Mills loaded the bases, but with two outs, Kisamore got the batter to hit a hard line drive directly at Travis Owens to close the inning.
In the bottom of the second, the Wildcats saw Spencer Hartman single with two outs, followed by a base on balls dealt to Noah Lockard. Once again, however, the Spring Mills defense got their pitcher out of trouble with no damage as the inning ended on a fielder’s choice.
In the top of the fifth with Spring Mills in command, Yokum called on Ty Armentrout to take the pitcher’s mound.
Ty Armentrout got the first batter to ground to third on his second pitch. He worked the hitter to a one ball and two strike count, then earned a swinging strikeout on an off-speed pitch.
Spring Mills then mounted a threat. A single, a hit batsmen, and another single loaded the bases.
The next batter worked the count to two balls and one strike, but Ty Armentrout righted the ship. He got the batter to swing and miss strike two, then fooled him on a called third strike.
While the murderers’ row of a schedule continues, the team continues to gain experience against tough competition and should be ready to make their mark against regional competition in the postseason.
