West Greene and Washburn rode strong pitching performances to keep both offenses in check, but it was the Pirates who capitalized on timely hitting to secure a 2-0 win at The Buddy on Thursday evening.
“That’s a good team over there,” said West Greene head coach Adrian Sauceman. “They made the sub-state last year, and I fully expect them to do the same again. Our defense played well and our pitchers threw well—we just didn’t get the timely hits.”
West Greene actually outhit Washburn 7-5 but stranded nine runners, including five in scoring position. Jhonen Bath led the Buffaloes at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a double and a single, while Brandon Hunter added two hits of his own.
Hunter was equally strong on the mound despite taking the loss. He allowed five hits—all singles—and two runs (one earned) over four innings, striking out five and walking one. Ethan Carpenter and Bath combined for three scoreless, hitless innings in relief. Carpenter worked 1 2/3 innings with two strikeouts and a walk, while Bath struck out the only batter he faced.
Washburn’s Matthew Harville turned in a dominant performance, tossing a complete-game shutout. He allowed seven hits while striking out seven and walking two.
West Greene threatened early in the bottom of the first. Bath led off with a one-out double to left, and after a groundout, Jayden Cox reached on a bunt single to put runners on the corners. Cox then stole second, and Hunter drew a walk to load the bases. The rally ended, however, when Christian Hunter’s bunt was fielded cleanly by the Pirates’ third baseman, who threw home to cut down Bath at the plate.
Neither team generated much offense over the next two innings, but Washburn broke through in the fourth. David Bailey reached on a one-out infield single and moved into scoring position when Harville drew a walk after a lengthy at-bat. Gavin Kincaid advanced both runners with a sacrifice bunt, and Nolan Harville followed with a two-out infield single to score Bailey. A misplay on the ball allowed Matthew Harville to score from second as well, giving the Pirates a 2-0 lead.
West Greene tried to answer in the bottom half of the inning when Brandon Hunter singled to lead off. After a fielder’s choice and a walk to Carter Stills, the Buffaloes had two on with one out. Harville escaped the jam by inducing a 6-3 double play off the bat of Eli Brown.
The Buffaloes mounted one final threat in the sixth. Hunter again led off with a single, and Christian Hunter reached when his sacrifice bunt was misplayed, putting two runners on with no outs. Harville regrouped, striking out the next batter before getting a fielder’s choice that erased the lead runner at third. He then recorded another strikeout to end the inning and preserve the shutout.
West Greene falls to 5-3 on the season and will travel to Gatlinburg on Friday for a 5:30 p.m. matchup with the Highlanders.
