By Carl Holcomb
Moorefield Examiner
Tucker County hosted the Cougars on back-to-back nights at Camp Kidd in Parsons last week for the Class A Region II Section 2 Championship series.
East Hardy came close to stealing a win in the opener just falling 2-1, then Tucker County ousted the Cougars 10-5 to hoist the championship plaque.
East Hardy finished the season with an overall record of 1-19, while the Mountain Lions improved to 11-11 and advanced to the regional championship series against Pendleton County (26-2).
“I was proud of our effort and our fight. I felt that we played our best ball to date in both games. We competed and fought hard until the end and that’s all I can ask for. I’m excited for the future of our program,” East Hardy Softball coach Noah Orndorff remarked.
It was a pitching duel as Tucker County pitcher Peyton Hicks tossed seven strikeouts and allowed four hits, while East Hardy ace Ginger Combs threw one strikeout and allowed just four hits.
East Hardy leadoff batter Addison Armentrout was jammed for a pop-up caught by Mountain Lions shortstop Makenna Evans.
The Cougars responded as Gracie Heishman ripped a single into center field.
Hicks struck out Brooke Moyers for the second out.
Combs launched a single into left field to put runners on the corners for East Hardy, then April Dove was jammed for a pop-up to Evans denying a score.
Combs induced a groundout by Evans to begin the bottom of the first inning.
Combs issued walks to Tucker County’s Hicks and Ava Shaffer, then Sutton Pase hit into a fielder’s choice out by third baseman Jaylynn Combs and the scoring opportunity was negated on a catch by right fielder Adyson Crites.
East Hardy’s Bella Bauserman grounded out in the second inning, then Jaylynn Combs received a free pass.
Hicks countered with a strikeout to Taylor McReynolds, then Combs swiped second base and advanced on an error before being stranded on a strikeout to Crider.
Tucker County’s Isabella Loucks was given a walk, then Ginger Combs pitched a strikeout and induced a groundout.
Rylee White plated Loucks with the help of an error to put the Mountain Lions up 1-nil.
Evans executed a bunt single, then Combs walked Hicks before creating a groundout by Shaffer to Bauserman.
Heishman smashed a game-tying solo home run for the Cougars with one out in the third inning, 1-all.
After a flyout, Ginger Combs crushed a double into left field as East Hardy looked to strike again.
That chance was erased on a groundout by Dove.
Tucker County went down in order, despite a single to start the inning by Pase as Isabella Bennett popped out to East Hardy’s Paylynn Rexrode and Armentrout turned a double play.
Hicks induced three East Hardy groundouts by Bauserman, Jaylynn Combs and McReynolds in the fourth inning.
East Hardy pitcher Ginger Combs induced two Mountain Lions groundouts before White notched a single and Evans drew a walk and both were stranded on a fly ball caught by Moyers.
East Hardy failed to get on base in the fifth inning as Crider grounded out, Armetnrout hit a line drive to Bennett and Heishman struck out.
Tucker County went down in order, too, on three straight fly balls.
The Cougars couldn’t hop on the pond in the sixth inning due to a strikeout to Moyers and fly outs by Combs and Dove.
Tucker County was kept off the bases on three consecutive groundouts fielded by Jaylynn Combs, Bauserman and Ginger Combs.
The game remained locked at one run apiece entering the seventh inning and East Hardy wasn’t able to get on base as Bauserman popped out, then Jaylynn Combs and McReynolds struck out.
East Hardy pitcher Ginger Combs jammed White for a pop-up to Bauserman, then walked Evans.
Hicks hammered the game-winning RBI triple to take the sectional championship opener 2-1.
The Cougars scored first in the second game of the championship series, but Tucker County responded with four runs in the first frame and extended the lead to 8-2 after four innings.
Tucker County ace Ava Shaffer picked up the win with nine strikeouts.
East Hardy pitcher Ginger Combs notched two strikeouts and Brooke Moyers added one strikeout in the circle.
The Cougars got the scoring started as Moyers reached base on an error with one out, then Heishman delivered an RBI double onto center field.
The Mountain Lions answered in the bottom of the first inning with four runs to go up 4-1.
Evans smacked a double, then Moyers countered with a strikeout before issuing a walk to Shaffer.
Pase ripped a two-run producing single into center field for a 2-1 edge.
Bennett reached base on one error and Loucks connected for an RBI single into right field for the Mountain Lions extending the lead.
Moyers issued a free pass, then Ginger Combs came in to pitch for the Cougars and induced two groundouts with the former creating a run for a 4-1 advantage.
East Hardy’s Bella Bauserman drew a walk and advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Jaylynn Combs in the second inning.
Shaffer retired the side with consecutive strikeouts to McReynolds and Rexrode.
Jaylynn Combs caught a pop-up and fielded a groundout for the first two outs of the second inning.
Shaffer singled into left field and was brought home as Pase smashed an RBI double onto center field for a 5-1 score before Bennett popped out to Bauserman.
In the third inning, Armentrout reached base on an error for the Cougars and stole second base before Shaffer tossed a strikeout to Moyers.
Armentrout dashed to third base on a wild pitch, then Heishman popped out in shallow center field.
Ginger Combs played Armentrout on an error during a wicked hop on a grounder, 5-2.
Dove got on board with an error in left field, but both runners were stranded on a groundout by Bauserman.
The Mountain Lions’ Loucks reached base on an error, then Carlee Nicholas smashed a double into right field.
Reagan Herron notched an RBI groundout to put Tucker County ahead 6-2.
After a catch by Crider, a bunt by Evans developed into an error allowing a run to score for a 7-2 advantage.
The Cougars failed to get on base in the fourth inning on a groundout and two strikeouts by Shaffer.
Shaffer ripped a double and scored on a a sacrifice fly by Pase, 8-2.
The Mountain Lions got two more on base with an error and walk, but they were left on the pond with a groundout.
Armentrout hammered a double into right field for the Cougars in the fifth inning, then swiped third base.
Moyers plated Armentrout with the help of an error at third base on a sharp grounder with a wicked hop.
Heishman created another run on an error at third base to cut the deficit to 8-4.
Dove and Bauserman conceded for singles, but were stranded on a strikeout.
Combs issued a walk to Hicks with two outs, then Shaffer singled.
Pase belted a two-run producing double into left field giving the Mountain Lions a 10-4 advantage.
Armetnrout singled with two outs in the sixth inning and Moyers drew a walk, but they were left aboard with a groundout by Heishman.
Tucker County went down in order on a pop-up, groundout and strikeout.
April Dove smashed a double with one out in the seventh inning for the Cougars, then Bauserman reached base on an error.
Shaffer counted with a strikeout.
McReynolds responded by unleashing an RBI single to cut the deficit in half, 10-5.
Shaffer sealed the sectional championship with a strikeout.
