recognized on senior night. They have set the standard for softball classes going forward as they led
a talented squad to a stellar season.
By Stephen Smoot
During the past week, the Pendleton County softball team went three and one. They gave up their second loss of the year to a surging Petersburg Viking squad ranked eighth in Class AA, but took care of business against Tucker County twice and Luray, Virginia, once.
In the game against the Mountain Lions on the 21st, the team held ites senior night. For the first run, senior Lizzie Alt drove in Avery Townsend for the first run in the first inning. After Baylee Beachler set down the first three batters in order, the Wildcats exploded with a big second inning.
Susan Vincell led with a walk. Two batters later, Izzy Lockard grounded to short, but reached on an error. Julia Mongold loaded the bases by earning a walk. That set up Townsend who drove a double to left and knocked two runners home. She also got to third on the throw home.
Beachler was up next. As she worked the pitcher to a walk, the fleet of foot Townsend stole home plate.
The Wildcats would score seven in the inning.
Later in the bottom of the fourth with Lockard and Vincell on, Mongold rocketed a double to right. She got two runs batted in.
The Wildcats won 15-0.
The very next night, Petersburg came to town. Beachler once again took the mound, but the Vikings were ready. Although the Wildcats put up two in the first, Petersburg scored the next 12.
Hard luck bedeviled the home team. Sharply hit balls went straight to fielders who never gifted an error. Almost everything Petersburg hit, however, found the ground, giving them the win, 12-2.
Two days later, Pendleton County played Luray from Virginia. Once again, the Wildcats claimed the first score of the game. Townsend hit a two ball and one strike double and was promptly driven in by Beachler. Luray, however, evened it up on a sacrifice ground ball that drove in their first run.
After trading half innings with no score, Pendleton County reclaimed the lead in the second. Townsend led off with a walk, then stole two bases during Beachler’s at bat. Chesnee Colaw lofted a fly ball to right, allowing Townsend to tag up and score.
Unwilling to go quietly, Luray added two runs in the next half inning to grab the lead right back. In the top of the fourth, however, two straight errors put Vincell and Jaden Mitts on base. Molly Rowe dropped a bunt toward the pitcher, but another error allowed a run to come in.
Luray picked up two runs in the bottom of the fourth, then set down the Wildcats in order in the top of the fifth.
In the top of the sixth, Mitts walked, then went to third on a Rowe bunt single. Townsend drove in Mitts and put the tying run in scoring position and the go ahead run at first. Beachler sent the first pitch over the wall in left, putting her team up seven to five.
Beachler then pitched the final innings, saving the win for starting pitcher Vincell.
In the second game against Tucker County, which the Wildcats won once again 15 to zero, Pendleton County put up seven in the first two innings and had 14 runs scored by the end of their half of the third.
On Friday, Pendleton hosts East Hardy in the final home game of the season.
The first sectional game will be played May 7 between Tygarts Valley and Pocahontas with the winner traveling to Pendleton May 8 for a 6 p.m. game.
