SOUTH CHARLESTON – Ritchie County could not take advantage of a second life.
In an elimination game at Thursday’s WVSSAC State Softball Tournament at Little Creek Park, the Cavaliers from Greenbrier West turned what they thought was a game-ending double play in the bottom of the seventh inning.
However, after cutting down the tying run on an infield grounder, on the attempt to double up Rindy Perkins running to first base the umpire ruled the fielder had pulled her foot off the bag – keeping the Rebels’ hopes alive.
Trailing 6-5 with two outs, Perkins stole second base then advanced to third on a wild pitch. Greenbrier West pitcher Brilee Redden snuffed out the rally by inducing a ground out turned in by her third baseman – leaving the tying run in scoring position and advancing the Cavaliers with the 6-5 victory.
Despite 11 strikeouts in five innings of work from starting pitcher Rocklyn Marcum and an offense which outhit the Cavaliers 11-8, Ritchie County exits the Class A field with a 19-12 record.
Ritchie County nearly rallied after falling behind 6-2 in the sixth inning.
Greenbrier West opened the scoring with two runs in the top of the first inning. Kaelyn Bevins, who went 2-for-4 at the plate with an RBI, opened the inning with a base hit. Gracie Rhodes followed with a four-pitch walk.
With one out, both runners advanced one base on a wild pitch and scored on Emma Edens’ base hit out of the No. 8 slot in the batting order.
Redden allowed three singles and kept Ritchie County scoreless until two-out lightning struck in the fourth inning. Perkins, who hit a one-out single, stood on second base thanks to a wild pitch then trotted home on Cassy Hardbarger’s two-out triple. Abbi Cox kept the line moving with an RBI single to tie the game at 2-2.
Marcum struck out 11 through four innings, but the Cavaliers started making contact on a consistent basis in the fifth inning with two runs on three hits. Bevins accounted for one RBI, while Jenna Hunter added a second-run scoring single.
Greenbrier West expanded the lead to 6-2 in the sixth inning against Ritchie County reliever Chelsie Jeffrey. A base on balls and two hit batters set the table for a two-run add-on.
Trailing 6-2, the Rebels responded with two in their half of the sixth inning on the strength of a two-out, RBI single from Kesslee Wass.
Jeffrey retired the side in the seventh inning without much incident.
In what turned out to be their final at bat, Marcum and Jeffrey opened with consecutive singles. A wild pitch advanced the runners one base. Ava Satterfield’ infield ground out brought home Marcum to cut the deficit to 6-5.
Marcum, Jeffrey and Perkins each accounted for two hits apiece. In addition to striking out seven in her complete-game win, Redden went 3-for-4 at the plate with a triple.
WVSSAC State Softball Tournament
At Little Creek Park, South Charleston
Rock Field-B
Elimination Game
Greenbrier West 6, Ritchie County 5
GW 020 022 0 – 6 8 2
RC 000 202 1 – 5 11 1
WP: Brilee Redden 7.0IP 11H 4R 4ER 0BB 7SO
LP: Rocklyn Marcum 5.0IP 7H 4R 4ER 4BB 11SO
Chelsie Jeffrey 2.0IP 1H 2R 0ER 1BB 1SO
Leading hitters
Greenbrier West (19-10): Brilee Redden 3-4, 3B; Brooklyn Adkins 2 runs, 2 RBIs; Kaelyn Bevins 2-4, run, RBI; Jenna Hunter 2-3, RBI; Emma Edens 1-4, 2 runs, 2 RBIs
Ritchie County (19-12): Rocklyn Marcum 2-4; Chelsie Jefrrey 3-4; Ava Satterfield run, RBI; Rindy Perkins 2-4; Cassy Hardbarger 1-3, 3B, run, RBI; Abbi Cox 1-3, run, RBI; Kesslee Wass 1-3, run, RBI
