By Stephen Smoot
Ten innings in two games with one hit, one walk, and 26 strikeouts, was one of those near perfect games with not a single opposing batter getting a thing off of starting pitcher Susan Vincell.
Also 27 runs were scored on the Lady Wildcats’ way to securing a trip to the state softball tournament to defend their crown earned last year.
Tucker County took the brunt of a Wildcat softball team putting the final details in place for another deep run for the state tournament next week in South Charleston’s Little Creek Park.
In the last Tuesday’s game, won 15-0 by Pendleton County, scoring came first with one out in the bottom of the first. Kinsley Price got on third base, courtesy of an error. Jess Parker ripped the first pitch toward second. An error allowed the run to score and Parker to get to first.
Vincell came up and drove a sharply hit ground ball past the third baseman into left field. Parker had stolen second to get into scoring position, but the triple drove her home and put the score at 2-0. Vincell then scored on a sacrifice grounder by Laney Bowers.
Jaiden Mitts led off the bottom of the second with a walk, followed by a base on balls to Chesnee Colaw. Lexi Tingler’s ground ball sacrifice pushed the runners to second and third for Moly Rowe, whose rocket line drive to left brought in Mitts and Colaw for a 5-0 advantage.
Price got on base after being plunked by a pitch. Parker came up with her and Rowe waiting on base. They did not have to wait long. Parker hit a single to left to score them both and push the score to 7-0.
Tucker County managed to get two outs in the bottom of the third, but with one on, Tingler drove a double well into right field to send in the runner. Rowe sent a pop up to right that dropped safely, and allowed Tingler to score, setting the game at 9-0.
The Wildcats put up two more in the bottom of the fourth, then Callie Judy came to the plate with no outs and Bowers on. The baserunner stole second, then alertly took third on a wild pitch. Judy’s single to shallow left drove in the 12th run of the day.
Colaw came up with Abby Judy at first and Callie Judy at second. The lead runner got to third on a wild pitch, then went home on another of the same. Then in a wild coda to the scoring of the day, during a Rowe at bat that ended in a strikeout, wild pitches helped to bring home Ashlyn Wimer and Colaw. The 15 runs scored was enough as the Mountain Lions could only muster a single baserunner from one error committed.
On Friday, Vincell must have come into the game slightly fatigued – in that she allowed a walk and a hit, something Tucker County could not muster in the first regional game.
Tucker County opened the game with their leadoff hitter earning a walk on six pitches. A second baserunner got aboard via error and, perhaps, Tucker County could have been forgiven for thinking this game could be different.
Then Vincell righted the ship, striking out the next two batters in six pitches for two strikeouts. Wildcat batters backed her up by putting four runs on the board in the bottom of the first.
Tingler opened the bottom of the second with a base on balls, but the Mountain Lions earned two quick outs. They then seemed to pitch around Parker, not giving an intentional walk, but not giving the power hitter anything to get a hold of, either. As Tucker County tried to contend with Vincell at the plate, a wild pitch enabled Tingler to come home and set the score at 5-0. Bowers then drove home Parker, putting the ball in play with a Tucker County error helping the home team.
Tucker County picked up a single in the top of the third with one out, but Vincell allowed nothing else.
Mountain Lion pitching disposed of the initial two batters in the bottom of the third, but two errors in the same at bat put Tingler in scoring position at second base. She scored when Rowe sent a solid ground ball into left, setting the score at 7-0. Price followed with a double on a fly ball to right, sending in Rowe. Two more runs would come across in the inning.
Vincell struck out the side in the top of the fourth. Tingler’s sacrifice to second drove in Colaw for the 12th and final run. The pitcher then slammed the door shut on the Mountain Lions by striking out the side in the fifth.
The next time the 2026 Pendleton County Wildcat softball team takes the field will be May 27 as the Class A portion of the tournament gets underway with the championship on the 28th.
