Published: May 20, 2009 11:24 pm      

Laying it all on the line

Rivals Independence, Shady meet with state tourney ticket in balance

Last week, Independence softball coach Tom Poe was reminding his players it’s hard for a good team to beat another good team three times.

The Patriots proved him right. While they had lost twice in the regular season to Wyoming East, they put the Warriors away 3-2 in eight innings in the Class AA Region 3 semifinal.

Now the shoe is on the other foot as Independence hosts Shady Spring at 5 p.m. today in the Region 3 final.

The Patriots (21-4) have had little trouble with the Tigers this season, winning 10-0 April 13 at home and 8-3 at Shady Spring on April 21.

So what is Poe telling his team now?

“Every game starts out with the scoreboard 0-0 and every game is different,” he said. “You have to play in the present. At the end of seven, we’ll see what the total is.”

Shady’s Angela Bostic, of course, is stressing her 22-7 squad, the nine-time defending Region 3 champion, should relax and forget the two losses.

“Just buckle down and play ball,” she said. “The pressure makes it more intense, but it’s just another ball game. Have fun with it.”

The game pits teams that are solid in all departments.

- Both hit well, with high averages and plenty of power.

- They each play smooth defense, led by outstanding shortstops (Shady senior all-stater Tia Via and Indy sophomore Kayla Saunders).

- They’ll have confident, 15-5 sophomore pitchers on the mound in Kelsey Whitt for the Patriots and Amber Woody for the Tigers.

“We’re playing well and Shady is playing at the top of their game,” Poe said. “It should be a really great girls softball game.”

Independence’s lineup includes senior catcher Jacinda Ward (.432, 2 HR, 21 RBI), senior Scarlet Lawson (.371, 2 HR, 23 RBI) at first base, sophomore Kayla Epling (.362, 23 runs) at second base, Saunders (.414, 18 RBI, 20 runs) at shortstop and junior Summer Adkins (.423, 17 runs) at third base.

Speedy senior Sheena McKinney (.371, 22 runs) is in center field, while sophomores Whitney Hill (.247) and Beth Huffman (.296, 24 runs) are in the other outfield spots.

Whitt’s 15 victories is the most wins in a season by any Patriot pitcher. She also has 150 strikeouts and just 26 walks with an ERA of 1.21.

Shady answers with sophomore catcher Ashley Stalnaker (.423, 7 HR, 23 RBI), junior first baseman Kayla Plumley (.379, 23 RBI), second baseman Sam Lively (.407, 13 runs), Via (.440, 3 HR, 25 RBI, 49 stolen bases) and junior third baseman Lydia Honaker (.436, 3 HR, 24 RBI, 35 stolen bases) in the infield.

The Tigers’ outfield consists of Jayna Sayre (.33, 27 RBI) in left field, senior Taylor Shamblin (.402, 2 HR, 21 RBI) in center and Rachel Smith (.453, 2 HR, 24 RBI) in right.

Woody is 15-5 with a 2.62 ERA. She’s struck out 69 batters and walked 29.

Shady was a 7-0 winner over James Monroe in their Region 3 semifinal.

“Our girls are cool, calm and collected,” Bostic said. “They’re determined, but they’re not overconfident by any means. They want it.”

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Greenbrier East has its work cut out as it travels to Logan at 5:30 p.m. today for the Class AAA Region 3 final.

Logan is 28-5 and winner of its last 10 games. Pitcher Ali Neace no-hit Capital 1-0 in last week’s semifinal. She struck out 14.

East (15-12) was a 9-7 winner against Nicholas County.

Coach Bruce Bowling said it’s been an up and down season.

“It’s been a rollercoaster, and we’re not a young team,” he said. “That’s the question mark. We have eight seniors, but they don’t have a lot of playing experience.”

Bowling thinks the Spartans are ready for the task.

“We’re hitting the ball well and getting confidence,” he said. “They’re finally realizing they can do it.

“Logan is an excellent team and we’re not supposed to be where we are now. I wouldn’t count us out. Anything can happen.”

East has two dependable pitchers in senior Erin Ramsey (9-7, 78 strikeouts in 90.3 innings) and junior Tessa Honaker (6-5, 3 saves, 69 strikeouts in 74.3 innings).

Senior Katie Keaton leads the Spartans’ attack with a .391 average and 22 runs scored.

Other top hitters include Kelsey Still (.350, 19 RBI), Danielle Feury (.320), Ramsey (.273), Brie Miluk (.270), Kerry Still (.267), Honaker (.250), Corrisa Coleman (.238) and Erin Asbury (.235 22 runs, 14 RBI).

n Also today, Fayetteville (14-12) hosts Richwood (12-13) for the Class A Region 3 crown.

All winners will advance to next week’s state tournament in Vienna.

— E-mail:dstillwell@register-herald.com