Shull, Rieg fuel James Wood softball win over Clarke County

BERRYVILLE — With the loss of seven seniors from last season’s Region 4C championship squad, the James Wood High School softball team has quite a few new faces in the lineup.

It’s good that the Colonels have some veterans back, too.

Cadence Rieg delivered a clutch two-run single in a three-run sixth inning that snapped a tie and Jenna Shull struck out 12 in James Wood’s 6-3 win over Clarke County at Grubbs Field on Thursday.

Making the state tournament for the first time in program history was a big step for the Colonels last season, but there’s no doubt this year’s squad has undergone a makeover with five new players in the lineup and several returners in different positions.

“We are a lot younger than we were last year,” said Shull, who went 11-1 in the circle last spring. “It really sucks that we lost seven seniors. We have to really build as a team because we are so young. … We’re feeling pretty good. … We just have to keep working on basic fundamentals and we’ll get there.”

“I think it’s a good thing that you have so many young players who can grow into each other" said Rieg, who has been a varsity starter as a freshman. “They all have raw talent and I’ve already seen such a big change in two weeks. I’m excited to come back in four years to see what all those girls have done because I know they are all going to be great.”

Shull (Mary Baldwin) and Rieg (Shenandoah University) will play at the college level and showcased their talents on Thursday.

Shull had an incredible start, striking out the first nine batters in three perfect innings. Shull said she’s accomplished that feat before. She mostly overpowered the Eagles with her blazing fastball.

“It doesn’t happen very often,” the senior right-hander said. “It’s really good when your team is behind you cheering you on and they know that you have everything it takes to get that ball across the plate.”

“She was mowing them down,” James Wood coach Patrick Gibson said of Shull. “That’s probably the best I’ve seen her pitch in a long time. Everything was working and she was hitting her spots.”

Shull needed to be on point as the Colonels were facing Clarke County’s Anna Hornbaker, who is headed to Division I Gardner-Webb next season. Hornbaker was coming off a 17-strikeout performance a day earlier.

“I love a good challenge and she did amazing out there,” Shull said. “She pitched her heart out.”

Both starting pitchers were a little unlucky as miscues in the field led to a pair of runs for each team. The Colonels broke it open in the sixth.

With one out, Katilyn Brannon singled and raced to third on Sophia Gerald’s single. After Molly Maynard’s bunt single loaded the bases, Brannon came home on a passed ball to make the score 3-2. With runners at second and third and two outs, Rieg delivered the key blow with a line single up the middle to Gerald and Maynard to make it 5-2.

Hornbaker had retired Rieg on groundouts in her first two at-bats, but the Colonel standout had doubled in the fifth. “I try to go up not thinking about the last at-bats. They don’t matter,” Rieg said of her approach in a key moment. “It’s a different situation every time. I’ve seen Anna many times because we are in the same class. I’ve recognized what she’s got and what she likes to go with in certain situations. Knowing that I just needed a base hit, it didn’t have to be pretty. I just had to get on.”

Gibson was glad to have Rieg at the plate. “She’s our ace,” he said. “That’s who we want at the plate in a big moment and she delivered.”

Shull (1-0) was done after the fifth, having allowed only one hit — Claire Unger’s opposite-field triple in that inning. She finished with 12 strikeouts.

Gibson said he thought Shull might be tiring a little, but he also wanted to give Gerald, a freshman, an opportunity.

“Now that every game matters, it’s hard to get those pitchers experience,” said Gibson, referring to the Region 4D playoff format where winning percentage determines who makes the postseason. “You got to roll the dice a little bit and throw them in the moment to see what they are made of.”

Gerald gave up an RBI double to Courtney Paskel in the sixth (Paskel was cut down trying to stretch it into a triple) and struck out two batters in the seventh to close out the win.

First-year Clarke County coach Jeff Parker said his team showed some promise, battling back after the rough start against Shull. Freshman leadoff hitter Emmerson Kennedy drew a pair of walks, stole three bases and scored twice. The Eagles couldn’t overcome five errors.

“I was happy with the way my team played,” Parker said. “We need to hit a little better and tighten up on defense. … We have some bright spots on the team. Nothing but good things ahead for this group.”

One day after her 17-strikeout performance, Hornbaker allowed nine hits and two walks while striking out seven in a 120-pitch effort. “She was a little tired today,” Parker said. “She pushed through. She’s a bulldog. I’m always happy with her performance.”

Brannon, a freshman, joined Rieg with two hits, including an RBI double in the top of the seventh. “We know what she’s capable of,” Gibson said of Brannon. “She’s delivering early, getting acclimated, getting those big hits off of good pitching. I just told her, ‘You got two hits off of a D-I pitcher. It’s only up from here.”

James Wood next faces Sherando (1-1) on Tuesday. The Warriors were the only district team to defeat them last season. Clarke County is at Musselman (W.Va.) on Monday.