By Carl Holcomb
Moorefield Examiner
It was an early Easter egg hunt for the Cougars surprising top ranked Pendleton County with a lead, but the Wildcats rallied to scramble the outcome with a 10-6 victory in Baker.
“I was very pleased with our start and our energy and our attitude in a game like this. I felt like we did a good job of putting pressure on them early. We battled and didn’t give up. We kept playing and that’s all I can ask for. They are a good team, so as long as we show up and control the controllables and compete, I’ll take it,” East Hardy coach Noah Orndorff remarked.
Pendleton County collected the first run as Avery Townsend drew a walk from East Hardy pitcher Ginger Combs, then stole around to third base after a flyout to Taylor McReynolds before being brought home on an RBI groundout by Jaiden Mitts and another groundout retired the side with both fielded by Addison Armentrout.
East Hardy’s Addison Armentrout and Gracie Heishman arrived on base with consecutive errors, but the Wildcats defense turned a double play and caught a pop-up to close the inning.
Pendleton County’s Chesnee Colaw singled into center field with two outs in the second inning, but was stranded on a bunt fielded by Combs.
After a flyout, East Hardy received three straight walks from Pendleton County pitcher Lizzie Alt to Jaylynn Combs, Chelsea Mills and Bella Bauserman to load the bases.
McReynolds executed an RBI sacrifice bunt to help the Cougars tie the game.
Armentrout was issued a free pass for another bases loaded chance and the Cougars capitalized as Heishman ripped a two-run producing single into center field for a 3-1 edge and a groundout prevented further surprises.
Pendleton County’s Julia Mongold reached base on an error in the third inning, then Townsend singled down the third base line.
Baylee Beachler hit into a fielder’s choice as the Wildcats still had two runners trying to come home.
East Hardy’s Paylynn Rexrode snagged a line drive and turned a double play tossing to Armentrout at second base to retire the side.
Gingler Combs singled for the Cougars into left field, but two flyouts and a groundout negated a scoring opportunity.
Arbaugh singled for the Wildcats with one out in the fourth inning, then Susan Vincell plated Arbaugh on an error at third base to cut the deficit to 3-2.
Colaw jumped on the pond with an error and Pendleton County failed to score again as Combs garnered a strikeout on Rowe.
Vincell came in to pitch for Pendleton County in the bottom of the fourth inning and threw two straight strikeouts before Townsend fielded a pop-up putting the Cougars down in order.
“East Hardy is always a hard place to play. They are well-coached and a good group of girls. They came out ready to play. No excuses for us. Ginger Combs pitched a great ball game and held us down. We battled and battled and finally got hits. Avery had that inside-the-park home run and it was very close. We were watching the shortstop and if they overthrew her, we knew she had it. If she caught it, then we would have had to pull her. In the seventh inning, our runner went back to second instead of reading the ball in left field and that held her up. Avery is our spark and they are all great kids. She is always our fire starter and when she gets on base, she almost always finds a way to get home,” Pendleton County coach Eric Crites noted.
The Wildcats rallied for a 7-3 advantage in the fifth inning.
East Hardy pitcher Brooke Moyers induced a groundout, then issued back-to-back walks to Townsend and Beachler before hitting Mitts with a pitch to load the bases for the Wildcats.
A bases loaded free pass to Vincell tied the game, then Pendleton County took a 4-3 lead as Beachler scored on a passed ball.
Judy was hit by a pitch to load the bases again, then Colaw was beaned to plate a run for a 5-3 score.
Alt smashed a two-run producing double to put Pendleton County ahead 7-3 and Combs returned to the circle inducing a groundout to get out of the jam.
Vincell forced a groundout by Heishman and Ginger Combs sandwiching a walk to Moyers.
April Dove drew a walk as the Cougars now had two base runners aboard.
Jaylynn Combs smacked a sharp grounder to Townsend which developed into an error plating Moyers to make it 7-4 before Mills hit a line drive to Judy.
Townsend delivered an inside-the-park home run with a slide home to beat the throw to commence the sixth inning as the Wildcats went up 8-4.
Armentrout caught a pop-up by Beachler, then Mitts and Vincell connected for back-to-back singles.
Arbaugh notched an RBI groundout to extend the Wildcats lead to 9-4, then Rexrode retired the side fielding a groundout.
Vincell struck out Bauserman, then McReynolds grounded out before Armentrout reached base on an error and was left on the pond as Heishman’s line drive was snatched by Vincell.
Pendleton County started the seventh inning with two straight singles by Moyers and Alt, then Combs struck out Tingler.
Townsend slapped an RBI double into left field, then the Cougars defense got out of the jam turning a double play trailing 10-4.
Moyers drew a walk, then Vincell struck out Ginger Combs.
Dove received a free pass as the Cougars looked poised for a rally with two runners aboard.
Jaylynn Combs rocketed a two-run producing single with the help of an error in right field to close the gap to 10-6.
Vincell ended the game with back-to-back strikeouts as Pendleton County collected a 10-6 victory egg.
