SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Wahama had yet to come close to breaking out offensively across two state tournament games in which the White Falcons mustered a total of two runs.
But mere hours after being shutout across a five-inning loss to Wheeling Central, the top seed White Falcons discovered their offense at an ideal time and totaled 15 hits, while scoring four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to secure a 9-5 win over Greenbrier West at The Rock Field B at Little Creek Park.
“They knew it was time to crack down and the bats came alive,” Wahama coach Wes Riffle said. “We got the hits when we needed them.”
The win extends the season for Wahama (24-12) at least one more game, which next comes Friday against No. 5 Pendleton County in another matchup of teams seeking to stay alive.
The White Falcons led the seventh-seeded Cavaliers 5-3 in the top of the sixth inning, but a timely two-out triple from Emma Edens changed that, plating a pair and pulling GWHS even.
With the Cavaliers (19-11) in position to potentially gain their first lead of the outing, Wahama pitcher Gracie Banks dug in and struck out Layla Williams.
“The girls really stepped up and hit the ball in key spots,” West coach Steve Fields said. “I kept telling them to put it in play and things are going to fall. They did and we got tied up with them. They just ended up having a few more fall in than we did.”
Scoreless for four straight innings after putting up a five spot in the first frame, the White Falcons rediscovered that offense at the perfect time and Eve Smith started the home half of the sixth with a triple.
Raylee Zirkle worked a walk to follow and after she stole second base to put two in scoring position, both runners came home on Banks’ single up the middle that left the Cavaliers with a 7-5 deficit.
Later in the inning, Mary Brinker drove in a run with a double before Izzy Nance singled in another, leaving West trailing by four when it came to bat in the seventh.
“The key thing is stop swinging at pitches you think you can hit and start swinging at pitches you know you can hit hard. There’s a big difference,” Riffle said. “Lay off the low ones and let’s try to hit line drives. We saw that out of Smith and Brinker in the last inning.”
Banks finished off the complete game by retiring the side in order.
Smith drove in the game’s first run with a single and Zirkle made it 2-0 when she knocked in another via a double.
Wahama added to its exceptional start with a run-scoring single from Marlee Carr, before a West error allowed the fourth run to score. Brinker singled home the fifth and final run of the frame.
“Tried to have the girls reset their minds. We went to the cages and did a little bit of work,” Riffle said. “We tried to keep things simple.”
GWHS offered a strong response in the second and Edens singled in Gracie Rhodes for the Cavaliers’ first run, while Brilee Redden brought in two more with a triple to the gap in left-center. Wahama’s lead was 5-3 at that point and stood until the sixth.
Brinker, Banks, Smith and Nance each totaled three hits and combined to go 12-for-14 to lead the White Falcons’ 15-hit attack.
Banks struck out seven without issuing a walk while scattering nine hits.
Redden struck out three, walked two and went the distance in defeat.
Rhodes, Diana Porter, Elliana Deitz and Edens had two hits apiece to account for all but one West hit.
“I’m proud of the work we put in,” Fields said, “and what all we accomplished.”