May 23—Greenbrier East’s batters did what their coach likes to see. Woodrow Wilson’s batters did not, which essentially provided the difference in Saturday’s 18-5 Greenbrier East victory at Thomas F. Parham Field in Beckley.
The Spartans, coming off Friday’s 10-inning 8-5 loss to Independence, pounded out 18 hits and scored in every inning. Every East starter had at least one hit.
“I tell our kids all the time, put the bat on the ball, good things happen,” East coach Cory Mann said. “We ended up with 18 hits and that was key in the difference in the ballgame.”
Woodrow fell behind 7-2 before a three-run fourth made it 7-5. But the Spartans (14-4) got all three back in the top of the fifth, highlighted by Darris Boswell’s two-run triple. The Spartans went ahead 10-5 and the Flying Eagles never recovered.
“That was big,” Mann said. “It definitely helped us open it up.”
Boswell’s triple was part of a perfect day at the plate. He was 4-for-4 and drove in four runs and was walked in the second.
The Flying Eagles (8-15) were not without their chances. They loaded the bases with nobody out in the second and only got one run out of it.
Woodrow stranded 12 runners on the afternoon.
“We don’t hit with runners in scoring position,” first-year Woodrow coach Chris Walls said. “Instead of clutching up, it’s like we get scared or something. I don’t know. I can’t figure it out. I’ve told them from day one, our terminology is ‘RBI-hungry.’ They don’t understand, when you get guys on base, that’s when you really focus and have a game plan at the plate. And there’s no game plan. They just live pitch to pitch. They don’t set up for a game plan at all.”
East took advantage, adding three runs in the sixth and five more in the seventh.
Logan Carr got the win for Greenbrier East. He labored through the fourth when he walked three straight batters — including Austin Underwood with the bases loaded — but made clutch pitches throughout his outing.
Carr overcame Cooper Vaught’s homer to left leading off the bottom of the first and got a popout with a runner at third base to end the third.
“Logan’s a veteran,” Mann said. “He’s a senior. We knew coming into today that he’s going to be able to make the pitches to let us be successful. He did his job today.”
Micah Clay’s two-run single highlighted the Flying Eagles’ fourth inning.
Woodrow seniors Vaught, Reece Standard and Austin Underwood were all presented their diplomas in a pregame ceremony.
In addition to his home run, Vaught also had an RBI groundout in the second. He left the game in the fourth after colliding with teammate Chase Tolliver while charging in to try to catch a soft line drive on the infield. He should be OK for Monday’s game at Princeton.
Greenbrier East will host Oak Hill on Monday, then Woodrow will return the visit on Tuesday.
Email: gfauber@register-herald.com
GE 112 333 5 — 18 18 1
WW 110 300 0 — 5 4 4
Pitching — GE: Logan Carr, Jacob Graham (5), Gavin Bennett (7) and Darris Boswell; WW: Travis Daniel, Reece Standard (5), Danny Dickenson (6) and Micah Clay. WP: Carr; LP: Daniel. Hitting — GE: Isiah Brooks (3 runs), Boswell 4-4 (3b, bb, 4 rbi), Jordan Mize 3-3 (2 bb, rbi), Tanner Skidmore (rbi), Carr (2b, 2 rbi), Chris Heaster 3-5 (2b, rbi), Zac Trump 2-5 (rbi), Henry Goodwin 2-3 (rbi), Daniel Wygal 2-4 (rbi), Cooper Via (rbi); WW: Cooper Vaught 1-2 (hr, 2 rbi), Clay 1-3 (2 rbi), Logan Williams 1-4, Josh Farnsworth 1-3.