By Mark Robinson
The Greenbrier East baseball team left Beckley Tuesday evening with a 1-0 loss, and a quick end to their playoff hopes. Following a strong season in which they were ranked as high as third in the state, the loss was painful.
The first inning began with East’s Colby Johnson hitting to first for an out, Jonathan Carr striking out, Daylon Colley hitting a long ball to center-right for a standup double, before Frank Ford came to bat. Colley stole third, before Ford struck out.
Woodrow Wilson up to bat. Dylan Foster walked. Hunter Fansler hit a ball past third base to left field for a single. Foster tried to steal third and was thrown out. Fansler advanced to second base on a wild pitch. Cameron Pack struck out. Bradley Pack hit to the first baseman for the third out.
In the second inning, East’s Blake Colley hit to third, and the first baseman couldn’t handle the throw, so Colley turned it into a double. Charlie Bowyer followed with a bunt, beat the throw to first, resulting in two on base. Shannon Bennett came in as a pinch runner for Colley. Joey Powell, Tom Willis and Tanner McCallister each struck out to end the inning.
In the bottom of the second, Woodrow’s Brandon Chandler hit a shot straight to the pitcher, Michael Maiola was thrown out by second baseman McCallister, and Noel Sizemore struck out.
In the third, East’s Johnson struck out, Carr went to first after being hit by a pitch, then advanced to second on a wild pitch. Daylon Colley struck out, and Frank Ford hit to first for the third out.
Woodrow then saw Cameron Lane hit a double on a hit that reached the center field fence, before Eddie Wilson hit to the pitcher, who threw Lane out at third. Wilson was safe on first, fielder’s choice. He slid into second base on a pickoff attempt from pitcher Johnson to Ford that sailed past the first baseman. Then he stole third. Foster then walked, and Fansler made it to first on a fielder’s error at second. Cameron Pack flied out to right, scoring Wilson for the only run of the game. Bradley Pack dribbled a ball down the first base line that was picked up by pitcher Johnson, who tagged Pack for the third out.
East, in the fourth inning, had Blake Colley make it to first after being hit by a pitch. Charlie Bowyer hit a single. Runners on first and second. Then the pitcher caught Blake Colley off of second base for one out, and while the Beckley players were celebrating that, Bowyer headed for second from first, but the umpire ruled the throw made it to the base, over the objections of the Spartan coaches, who went on the field to talk about the play. Joey Powell struck out for the third out.
Woodrow’s Chandler hit to first, Maiola was thrown out by second baseman McCallister, Sizemore walked, and Lane was thrown out by shortstop Daylon Colley for the third out.
In the top of the fifth, Tom Willis and Tanner McCallister struck out, before Colby Johnson made it to first on single that went by the shortstop. Then Jonathan Carr hit to left field for a double, advancing Johnson to third. With Daylon Colley batting, Johnson tried to steal home, and got within a few feet of making it, but the catcher stepped out to make the tag. Three outs.
Woodrow’s Wilson struck out, Foster was thrown out by second baseman McCallister, and Fansler flied out to center. Three up, three down.
In the top of the sixth, Daylon Colley hit a single to the center field fence, Ford walked, Blake Colley flied out to second, Bowyer hit to the pitcher, who threw out Daylon Colley at third. Joey Powell struck out for the third out.
In the bottom of the sixth, Woodrow’s Cameron Pack hit to third baseman Powell, who threw him out. Bradley Pack hit to shortstop Daylon Colley and was thrown out. Chandler was also thrown out by Colley.
In the top of the seventh, Willis struck out, McCallister was thrown out by the third baseman, and Johnson hit to the shortstop and was thrown out. The final score was 1-0, Woodrow.