Prep Softball: West Fork powers way to district title

ELKINS -- Steady production up and down the lineup has been a calling card for West Fork softball this season.

Monday, the Lady Tigers showed once again just how strong the full batting order could be in wrapping up the 3A-1 West District Tournament championship.

3A-1 Softball

West Fork 10, Greenland 4

Greenland^000^110^2^—^4^13^3

West Fork^020^206^X^—^10^12^3

Goad and Wright; Cartwright and Lowrey. W - Cartwright. L - Goad. HR - none.

Mesa Kutz, the No. 9 hitter, went 3 for 3 with two RBIs and a run scored. Kutz sparked all three run-scoring innings as the Lady Tigers kept piling on to pull away from Greenland in a 10-4 win.

"(Kutz) has done that a lot this year, and the seven, eight and nine hitters have done that a lot this year," West Fork softball coach Tony Sagely said. "Throughout our lineup we've hit pretty well."

Kutz got the West Fork scoring started in the bottom of the second with an RBI single to score Madison Coker. The Lady Tigers' lead grew from 2-0 after two innings to 4-1 in the bottom of the fourth when Kutz added a second RBI single after Brooke Tedford and Bailee Mason led off the inning on a hit by pitch and a walk. Cassie Cartwright then added a sacrifice fly for the 4-1 lead.

Cartwright held Greenland (10-12) scoreless through the first three innings, but the Lady Pirates battled back to within 4-2 thanks to a three-hit inning in the top of the fourth leading to one run, and a leadoff double by Sarah Wright in the fifth which would lead to another score.

"That (Greenland) team has gotten so much better and they battled us," Sagely said. "They played well."

But West Fork kept coming at the Lady Pirates with the bats and finally broke through in the bottom of the sixth.

Ten Lady Tigers came to the plate in the sixth, as West Fork (15-6) scored six runs to put the game away.

"Our goal from the start was to win conference and to win the district championship," Sagely said. "We're pleased with this but we obviously want to keep going."

Spencer Sagely and Calli Long also had two hits each in the win for West Fork. Fiona Wilson led Greenland, going 3 for 4 with an RBI.

Both teams advance to the regional tournament, set to begin Thursday in Atkins.

3A-1 Baseball

Greenland 6, Mansfield 4

The Pirates used a big three-run sixth inning to build some breathing room then held on to defeat top-seeded Mansfield in the 3A-1 District Tournament baseball finals on Monday in Elkins.

Chance Glander and Blake Hatch combined to hold Mansfield to seven hits, with Hatch working the final three innings for the save.

Chandler Alaniz was 3 for 4 with two RBIs and three runs scored to pace the Pirates (17-10).

"I told them before the game this was going to be like a knockout fight," Greenland coach Will McGinnis said. "Our pitchers did a great job and our hitters up and down the lineup came through."

Greenland earns to top seed at the regional tournament in Atkins and will play at 10 a.m. Thursday.

Sports on 05/03/2016

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