By Stephen Smoot
Susan Vincell had an unusual stat line in last week’s game against East Hardy in Baker.
One hit was allowed, but there were three “HBP,” or “hit by pitch.” Vincell allowed the Cougars to get exactly one hit in the five inning contest, but took her base three times after being grazed on the ankle or foot by pitches.
Especially with the last one coming on a no ball and two strikes count with the game well out of reach, it seemed more coincidental than intentional, but fueled the junior pitcher’s fire nonetheless.
Molly Rowe led off and on the first pitch dropped a bunt that died about a foot out from home plate. Fleet of foot, she hustled down the line and beat the throw. With one out, Jess Parker came to the plate and walked on five pitches.
Laney Bowers came to the plate with runners at the corners. She drew three straight balls. On the third of the series, Rowe saw an opportunity and raced to home plate for the first run of the game. Two pitches later, Bowers hit a hard ground ball off the first baseman’s glove, reaching base safely and picking up a run batted in. The top of the first ended with the Wildcats up 2-0.
Vincell came up to pitch, showing no ill effects from getting hit by a pitch in the first. She struck out the first batter, walked the second, struck out the second batter, walked the third, and then struck out the side. This was the best opportunity the home team had to push in a run all night.
In the top of the second, Jaiden Mitts came to the plate with a single out and belted a stand up double to bring up the top of the order with Rowe. Rowe belted a three balls and two strikes pitch down the line to third and, once again, out hustled the throw to first.
The East Hardy starting pitcher, Madison Strosnider, did not pitch poorly. She racked up 12 strikeouts and kept most Pendleton County hits on the ground and in the infield. Wildcat speed and baserunning prowess, however, manufactured “small ball” opportunities, Joe Torre style.
Last year featured the bomb squad, but this year’s edition of the Wildcats forces teams to undergo the death of a thousand cuts as their speed outmatches defensive efforts.
Jaycee Thompson kept the inning going. Although she swung on and missed a third strike, when the catcher dropped the ball, she alertly sped down the first base line and reached safely. Parker followed with a double that drove in two runs. A Bowers infield single to short put in the third run and set the score at 5-0.
In the bottom of the second, showing no ill effects from a pitch striking her ankle, Vincell took the mound. Three batters up, three batters down.
Vincell’s style has evolved since she first took the mound as a starter for the Wildcats. Her specialty at first lay in placing pitches where hitters could not get a full swing at the ball and using her defense to get outs. Now, with precision and speed, she has transformed into a strikeout pitcher using her pitches efficiently.
In the top of the third, Strosnider quieted Wildcat bats and Vincell did the same to East Hardy, once again allowing no runs, no hits, no errors, and none left on base, as the old time play by play radio guys used to end such an inning.
In the top of the fourth, Strosnider showed some fatigue and Pendleton County jumped on it. They had patiently worked her to long counts on many at bats, forcing her to throw a lot of pitches. With one out, Bowers drove a ground ball through the right side of the infield, followed by Chesnee Colaw hitting a base hit to shallow left. Bowers showed almost ridiculous speed as she rounded the bases and scored at home for a 6-0 lead.
With one out, Vincell brought her powerful bat to the plate, but had to be satisfied with going to first as she took a no balls and two strikes hit to the foot. With two on, Marleigh Moyers went down no balls and two strikes, but grounded to second and in the process drove in two runners with a sacrifice.
The top half of the fourth ended with an 8-0 lead for the visitors.
Vincell allowed a single in the bottom of the inning, but otherwise slammed the door on the Cougars.
A new pitcher greeted the Wildcats, but the visitors gave her the rudest possible welcome. Mitts chopped a ball toward third base and ended up on second. Rowe bunted her way to third, partly on errors, and pushed Mitts in for a 9-0 advantage. Thompson drove her in on a stand up double. Parker came up next and drove in Thompson.
Bowers hit to short safely, scoring Parker. Colaw base hit drove her in.
Vincell came up next to the plate, her left leg likely tired of serving as a target. She took her frustrations out on a towering drive that landed at the base of the left field wall, but quick reactions by the Cougars turned it into a loud single. A Moyers soft roller then loaded the bases.
Lexi Tingler struck out, but once again a hustle play saved an out when the catcher dropped the ball and she took off, reaching first safely and picking up a run batted in to end the scoring at 15-0.
Vincell then took the mound and closed out her own win. The first batter got a three ball count, but Vincell got three straight strikes, the last swinging. Two more strikeouts concluded the contest.
Hillary Fox, head coach, told her girls, “Wait to hit the ball and have some fun” in the post game circle talk. She also praised her team’s athleticism and execution. “They’re just good,” she smiled and shared.
