Gallery by Tina Laney
Baseball is not a forgiving game.
When opportunity knocks, you had better answer the door.
Wednesday night, Greenbrier East and Shady Spring were both afforded golden opportunities in the opening frame.
The Tigers took full advantage, while the Spartans let a big inning slip through their fingers.
Scoring five runs in the first frame, Shady Spring rode the early momentum to an 8-6 win over Greenbrier East.
“It was a great win tonight. We were able to score in the first three innings and get that big lead,” Shady Spring head coach Jordan Meadows said. “We got a little rattled in fourth inning, but I told them even though it is early in the season, when we are playing with the lead, we have to act like we have the lead.”
A pair of singles and a hit batter in the opening inning loaded the bases for Greenbrier East with just one out.
Shady Spring escaped any damage, however, when starter Colten Tate recorded a much needed strikeout and a hard liner was gathered in by left fielder Aiden Calvert for the third out.
The visitors were not so fortunate in the bottom of the inning.
Back-to-back walks put runners at first and second with one out and Cam Manns stepping to the plate.
After some hitting struggles from his team, Meadows made a few subtle changes in the batting order that paid immediate dividends.
“I am a big stats guy and I have an accounting degree. The first guys are the top four hitter right now,” Meadows explained. “Putting (Tyler) Reed in the second spot helps because he is fast and puts the ball in play. Tate has been one of our big hitters and look at what Cam is doing. He says he not a hitter, but he is a hitter.”
Manns ripped a solid single to give Shady the early 1-0 lead and also provided a huge jolt of momentum.
After Adam Richmond was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Parker Brown doubled the lead with single to right.
The Tigers made it 3-0 when Manns scored on a wild pitch before Calvert smacked a two-out single scoring Brown and Richmond for the 5-0 lead.
“They had the bases loaded and we were able to get out of the inning. Then it was kind of like against Nicholas County (Monday). The pitcher was a little wild and we got some walks,” Meadows said. “We also got some key hits and was able to score. Scoring in the first three innings was huge. I am really proud of my guys.”
Although the Spartans fought back, they could never quite get out of the big initial hole they dug themselves.
“Anytime you open up a game by giving them base runners and they score off of it, you are battling from behind and it makes the game a lot more tough,” Greenbrier East head coach Cory Mann said.
Manns doubled home another run in the second inning and the Tigers scratched out two more in the third for an 8-2 lead.
The two runs for Greenbrier East came in the second inning after an error on a routine ground ball allowed Ian Cline and Clayton Morgan to score.
Cline had given East life with a two-out double, followed by a single from Morgan.
Another Shady Spring error in the fourth inning handed Greenbrier East an extra life and the Spartans took advantage once again.
A single from Darris Boswell and a double from Peyton DeHaven sparked a four-run rally that pulled the Spartans within two runs at 8-6.
The Tigers went quickly in the bottom of the fourth sending East back to the plate riding the momentum.
Meadows turned to Reed for the final three frames and the senior righty responded by slamming the door on the Spartans.
“Reed came in and threw some darts and we had some fun. He keeps it low and he hits his spots,” Meadows said. “What more can you ask for from him. He gets ground ball outs and fly ball outs. Good job by him being a big senior leader.”
Reed fanned the first two batters he faced and set the Spartans down in order on a liner to left. Over the final two innings, Reed allowed only one hit and one walk, while coaxing six fly ball outs for the save.
“I am happy with the way we battled. I think we had a (combined) total of eight walks and batters hit by pitches. That is how many runs they scored,” Mann said. “It has been what we have been battling all year and what we have discussed the most. We have to clean up some pitching stuff.”
Even in the loss, Greenbrier East hit the ball hard all night. Gabe Patton had four hits in four trips to the plate and Boswell had a pair of hits as well.
“I thought we swung it well tonight. We had 10 hits and then we had I don’t know how many that were hit right at guys,” Mann said. “Balls didn’t fall when we needed them to fall.”
Shady Spring heads to Logan County this weekend for the Chapmanville Wooden Bat Tournament, while Greenbrier East will head north for clashes with Uniontown Area High School, University and Parkersburg South.
