— By David Walsh
ONA, W.Va. — Put two of the top Class AAA softball teams in West Virginia in a setting with a sectional title on the line, one can expect there’ll be some drama at some point. Seventh-inning drama to be exact.
First, Lincoln County scores a run on an error in the top of the seventh to tie the game at 3 and delay title celebration for home standing Cabell Midland at a packed Paul Adams Field.
The Knights, with the top of the order up in their at-bat, see the first two batters fly out. Up steps Rebecca Conrad and she launches a pitch from Kyleigh Shull over the fence in center for a walk-off homer and a 4-3 victory.
Now the home team could clutch that Region 4 Section 1 trophy, pose for pictures with happy fans and look ahead to a best of-three series against Region II winner Hurricane, with that survivor securing a berth in the State Softball Tournament in two weeks in South Charleston.
“I feel great. So happy that’s what happened,” Conrad said while holding onto the souvenir ball with a firm grip. “So mad in the top of the seventh. Frustrated. It’s okay. Get in the dugout and come back. Definitely a harder route, but we seem to always pick that way.”
As for coach Herman Beckett’s reaction — “liked to broke my shoulder again,” he said. His left arm hangs in a sling.
Cabell Midland (27-5) recorded three wins in four meetings against Lincoln County this season. The first came in the regular season. The Panthers (23-6) won the first meeting in sectional play, forcing the Knights to win twice. When state softball goes to four classes next season, Cabell Midland will be in Class AAAA and Lincoln County in Class AAA, meaning new foes in sectional play.
“It’s a typical Cabell Midland-Lincoln County team. Couldn’t ask for two better teams,” Beckett said. “Can’t say enough about the resiliency the girls have. They played hard. We weren’t really hitting the ball well the last couple of weeks. Start laying the ball down, stretch them out and get the ball through. We got hits at the right time. That’s the main thing.”
Audrea Watts, who got the win Tuesday in the 10-6 decision where she once enjoyed a 10-0 lead, limited the Panthers to four hits this time.
Becca Pennington belted a double in the first for the visitors and came home on an error for a 1-0 lead. She then belted a solo homer to right in the fifth to cut the deficit to 3-2. Allison Ramey started the seventh with an infield single. Shull followed with a grounder to short, but Quinn Ballengee misplayed the ball, tried for the force at second, but the ball went into right field and Ramy raced home with the tying run to set up the dramatic finish.
Hayla Norris and Baylee Smith had run-scoring singles in the home team’s third. In the fourth, Ellie McCormill reached on a single. Sabrina Rose then put down a bunt, beat it out and McCormill sprinted from first to third on that play. When Rose tried to steal, she was thrown out, but McCormill raced home.
“That comes from experience playing the game,” Beckett said. “When the throw goes down, she knows to go. Take the chance. People don’t realize how fast she is. She’s gotten a lot faster this year from last year.”
Beckett had to tip his cap to Watts’ effort on the hill.
“Drea comes back and pitches her heart out,” he said. “Lincoln County’s such a well-disciplined team. They’re in any game they play. We had the top of the lineup. To beat a team of that caliber is gigantic. That’s the most confidence we’ve had all year. Kids were confident they could win the game.”
“I liked our enthusiasm. It was there all day. We wanted it,” Watts said. “It (error for a run in the seventh) happened. Can’t do anything about it. Come back and that’s exactly what we did. Definitely not my best day, but it was better.”
Lincoln County coach Tommy Barrett said fans got treated to a show once again.
“Two of the best teams in West Virginia in one region, what do you expect?” Barrett said. “We came out on the short end tonight. We hit the ball, we executed, they executed a little bit better. We contained the one and two hitters (in seventh). Conrad is) a tough out. She’s in the three hole for a reason. We tried to work her away, but one got away. The pitch was right there, she squared up and knocked it out of the park. This was a state championship game played right there. This region here has tough softball. They beat us twice. It’s what it is. It’s part of the game. Our kids worked very hard.”
Lincoln County senior Josie Bird, a long-ball threat, once again didn’t get to swing the bat as Beckett ordered intentional walks for her each of her four times up.
“Respect,” Barrett said, “but it makes it tough when they contain Josie.”