By Stephen Smoot
One could be forgiven for assuming that the Pendleton County and Williamsport (Maryland) Wildcats looked like mirror images of each other.
Both carry the same mascot name. Both sport blue as a primary uniform color.
But there, the comparisons end. The Williamsport Wildcats boast of almost 1,000 students taking to the halls of their school daily, which would put the school in Class AAA in West Virginia. Pendleton County has approximately 250 in grades nine through 12.
Williamsport, located across the Potomac River from Berkeley County, West Virginia, has struggled much of the year against strong Maryland competition. On the other hand, Pendleton County has prevailed in every game, save one against schools of all sizes.
As the game opened, both teams had to bundle up against temperatures in the 40s and a constantly blowing wind. Gray skies shut out any hope of warmth from the sun.
In the top of the first, Williamsport put two
Pendleton County runners on base, but shut down the inning before either could come home. The Maryland squad, assigned home team status, came to bat in the bottom of the first.
There Pendleton County ace Baylee Beachler mowed down the top of the order, striking out all three on a total of 14 pitches.
Both squads of Wildcats kept their opponents off the scoreboard until the top of the third. With one out, Beachler drove the first pitch into left field for a base hit. Two batters later came Lizzie Alt. Beachler stole second and got herself into scoring position during the at bat.
On a three ball and one strike delivery, Alt fired a sharply hit ground ball past the third baseman into left field. Beachler crossed home plate and put her team up 1-0.
In the bottom of the fourth, Williamsport hitters answered as Susan Vincell took the mound. They got their leadoff hitter on base, then the subsequent hitter hit a screaming line drive into left field that could not get past the sure handed Jayden Mitts.
In the next at bat, a pop fly in the infield that eluded the defenders scored the second run for the team from Maryland. Vincell then settled in, working with her defense to get the last two outs and close out the inning.
Pitching predominated through the top of the sixth. Mitts and Chesnee Colaw led off the inning with singles. Julia Mongold came up next and grounded into a double play, but also scored Mitts to tie the game at two.
In the bottom of the sixth, however, Williamsport led off with a walk as Beachler returned to the mound. The lead off hitter drew a walk and scored as the second batter hit a ground ball to left.
The inning ended as Beachler picked off a runner trying to steal home with one out, then struck out the batter to end the inning.
Down by a single run, Pendleton County entered the seventh inning needing a run to tie and two to seize back the lead. Williamsport had no individual players who showed talent that could overawe anyone, but each played fundamentally soundly. They made few mistakes as a team thus far in the contest.
Then came the Pendleton County onslaught.
Beachler drew a walk on four pitches to lead off the inning, followed by a walk dealt to Jenna Smith in five deliveries. Beachler once again used a stolen base to get herself in scoring position.
Williamsport’s dugout got behind their team on the field, trying to encourage them to halt the Pendleton County push while a new pitcher warmed up. As they chanted and cheered, Jessica Parker danced while her team sensed that momentum had already changed in the direction of the Wildcats from the Mountain State.
Alt once again swung her bat and drove the pitch to the opposite field. This gave Beachler a clear path to score and tie up the game.
On the throw, Smith took third and Alt second. Parker pulled a gutsy move and laid down a bunt on a no balls and two strikes pitch. Had the ball rolled foul, the rules consider that a strikeout. The ball, however, stayed fair down the first base side. Smith sprinted in to give her team the lead.
With no outs, Vincell lofted a fly ball to center. It traveled deep enough to score Alt and put her team up 5-3. Mitts then hit a fly ball to right, giving Parker the opportunity to tag and score. Suddenly, Pendleton County had doubled Williamsport’s score.
Williamsport escaped the inning and had one final opportunity. The first batter struck out, but the second walked. Next, Beachler induced the hitter into a fielder’s choice.
The final out came with a baserunner caught stealing second.
Defeating Williamsport, 6-3, put the Wildcats on the right track as they kicked off the Bub Riggleman Tournament by beating a quality team from a much larger school.
