By Mark Robinson
The Greenbrier East softball team defeated Westside High School Tuesday evening, 9-1.
In the top of the first inning, Westside had one batter get on base, but the Spartans then got three outs.
In the bottom of the first inning, East’s Bella Coles walked. She then stole second, and a bad throw from the Westside catcher allowed her to score the game’s first run. Up next, Olivia Ambler walked. Haylee Shires then hit a pitch to center-right, a single that placed Ambler on third base. Shires stole second. Then Shayla Fry took a sacrifice out at first, scoring Ambler and Shires and making the score 3-0, with one out. Emilee Vance was up next. She hit a single, crossing first base as the Westside first and second basemen fumbled for the ball on the ground. Next up was #13, Gabby Pyles. She hit a single to left field, advancing Vance to second. Lexi Tincher batted next, hitting a ground ball to center field and scoring Vance, bringing the score to 4-0, Pyles at second base, Tincher on first.
Next up, #15, McKenzie Little. Hitting to the pitcher, the runner going to third base was thrown out, leaving Little at first and Tincher at second. Two outs. With #9, Kaeley Asbury, at bat, Tincher stole third while Little stole second. Asbury hit a grounder to center field, for a single that scored two. Score 6-0. Coming back to the top of the batting order, Coles hit a grounder for an out at second, and the inning was over.
In the second inning, the first batter reached base on a hit to the outfield. Getting one batter out, the runner advanced to second and was running to third on a long hit to the outfield. But Coles threw a ball to Tincher at third base, who was able to tag out the runner on the way to third. Two outs. The last out was a strikeout by pitcher Callie Honaker, #7.
In the bottom of the second inning, Ambler was the first batter. She was thrown out at first. Shires hit a single grounder to left field, then stole second base. Fry popped up for the second out. Then, Vance hit to center field, a single that scored Shires. Score 7-0. Pyles popped up to second base to end the inning.
In the top of the third, Westside’s first batter struck out. The next hit to Tincher at third, and was thrown out. The next hit a ground ball to the outfield and made it to first base. The next batter grounded to third and was thrown out.
In the bottom of the third, Tincher grounded to the shortstop and was thrown out. Little hit a single because the first baseman dropped the throw. Asbury struck out, then Coles got a hit to center field, advancing Little to second. Ambler grounded to third, who tagged out Little. Three down.
In the fourth inning the first batter hit a double, and was then moved to third on a sacrifice. The next batter hit a grounder to third, who threw out the batter at first, but the return throw to home did not get there in time, and the player on third base scored. 7-1.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Shires walked. Fry hit a single, advancing Shires to third and Fry to second. No outs. Vance popped up to short. The runners stay put, one out. Pyles popped up to second. Tincher grounded to third, and was thrown out at first.
In the top of the fifth inning, the first batter got to first, and was advanced by the next. Runners on first and second. No outs. The next flied out to center, as did the next two.
For East, in the bottom of the fifth inning, Little hit a single to center, for a single. Asbury struck out. Coles hit a line drive to the shortstop. The quick throw to first base did not catch Shires napping. She got back, and was safe. Ambler hit to center, putting runners at second and third. A long hit to right field by Fry scored two runs, and ended the game.
