By Stephen Smoot
A superb season for Pendleton County softball came to an end last week. Promise turned to pain as injuries mounted and provided too much of a challenge for the Wildcats to overcome.
On the same night as the Pendleton County baseball team eked out a dramatic win over Moorefield to stay alive in postseason play, the Yellow Jackets brought their best to Franklin and outlasted a late inning challenge to survive.
Moorefield started the game strong. After the first batter flied out, the next two earned walks to put baserunners on first and second. Two batters later, after Pendleton County recorded their second out, another Yellow Jacket got on board after being hit by a pitch.
With the bases loaded, a single brought home two runs for the visitors.
For the next four innings, neither team could score. Both teams continued to advance runners into scoring position, but clutch defense and pitching kept the game tight.
In the top of the fifth with two outs and a runner on third, a sacrifice fly gave Moorefield a third run.
The Wildcats earned their first score in the bottom of the fifth. Avery Townsend laid down a bunt to reach first safely, but an error on the throw brought her all the way to home plate to cut into the Yellow Jacket advantage.
Then with two outs, Baylee Beachler hit a line drive to center, followed by a walk issued to Jess Parker on seven pitches.
Lizzie Alt sent the first pitch thrown to her over the right field wall, bringing home Beachler and Parker, while giving her team a 4-3 lead.
Injuries to Pendleton County’s three pitchers pressed Jenna Smith into service. Smith had not pitched in years, but stood in to take on Moorefield.
Yellow Jacket hitters, unfortunately, exploded in the top of the sixth inning, scoring five runs.
Smith earned a measure of revenge in the Pendleton County half of the sixth. Kate Hedrick led off the inning with a single. Three batters later, with two outs, Townsend laid down a bunt down the third base line, reaching safely and advancing Hedrick to third.
Smith then did what she has done best in the past month, which is clutch hitting with runners in scoring position. She drove a one ball and one strike pitch deep into right field, cutting the Moorefield lead in half and setting the score at 8-6.
Smith settled in well in the seventh inning, relying on her defense to make plays. She got the leadoff batter to ground out. Although she issued two walks, Moorefield’s hitters could not get the ball past the defense.
Down two runs in the bottom of the seventh, the Wildcats still faced Amber Williams, one of the top pitchers in the region. While they had gotten the best of her earlier in the season, Williams outlasted Pendleton County on this night.
The 2024 edition of Pendleton County softball brought a number of highlights. The team earned a top five ranking in the West Virginia Metro News Coaches’ Poll.
Over the season, the Wildcats outscored opponents 250 to 86, earning a 21-5 record and shutting out five teams.
Pendleton County collected wins from Greenbrier West, one of the top teams in single A, and Phillip Barbour, who dominated class AA all season long.
At the beginning of the season, the players faced a year with a new coach, a new system, and a new way of being taught the game. Head coach Eric Crites quickly brought his team together and earned big wins to build momentum.
At the end of the season, rescheduled games from earlier in the year took their toll. Arms got tired and lost some of the effectiveness they had shown all year.
That said, Pendleton County will return almost all of the team that earned all of the accomplishments and accolades seen this year, but will be another year older, another year wiser…
And another year hungrier.
