B

Through 5 ½ innings, the Lady Devils from Greeneville scrapped and clawed and battled.

Somehow despite an avalanche of self-inflicted errors and an evil cutting wind pushing temperatures into the lower 40s, they found themselves on the road at West High still in the ball game down a run in the fifth inning. The Lady Devils were hanging on the cliff’s edge but they were hanging on.

That is until West Junior first basewoman Mikaela Olodey strode to the plate and stomped on their fingers.

Olodey’s lightning strike of a shot over the wall in centerfield sparked a six-run inning that turned the game into a blowout as the Lady Trojans took the win 12-2.

Coach Heather Kelley said she was proud of the way her girls bounced back every time Greeneville threatened to make things interesting.

“Super proud because we haven’t had a chance to scrimmage,” she said. “I know Greeneville has already played several games. Super proud of the mentality, I think we stayed really composed.”

West was the more composed team of the night in frigid conditions. Greeneville seemed to struggle with the cold, committing a plethora of errors while West’s defense mostly stood tall behind sophomore hurler Briony Bunsic.

Bunsic gave up two runs on three hits but walked more than her usual allotment of batters. However, that’s to be expected when it’s sleeting 10 minutes before first pitch and only gets colder and windier from there.

“I can’t imagine trying to pitch in these conditions,” Kelley said. “I thought she did a great job on the mound and the girls backed her up. When you look at Bri on the mound, she’s such a physical specimen. And when you go round and round, she’s got the stability, the mentality, she’s gonna be able to last. I knew she’d find a way to come out and brave the weather and find a way because she loves the game.”

Bunsic wasn’t the only one to shine.

Olodey walked and singled in addition to her three-run homer. Senior Shortstop Aviah Bunsic added a 3-run laser shot to center that broke things wide open later in the bottom of the fifth. Bri Bunsic helped her own cause with a trio of singles while second basewoman Aubrie Messer added a two-RBI triple.

Kaylee Dyke, Jaelyn McDaniel and Hailey Milton added a single each.

West opened the scoring in the bottom of the first when Bri Bunsic ripped a single up the middle and McDaniel’s pop up landed in no man’s land behind first base. Messer then shot one down the right field line for a stand up triple that put West up 2-0.

West threatened again in the second when Cadence Beaver and Arlette Gutierrez each reached when Greeneville erred while attempted to field a bunt but the Lady Devils got out of the inning without surrendering another run.

Greeneville cut the lead in half when Kayle Jobe blasted a Bunsic offering over the left field fence in the top of the third. It might have been worse in the inning but Gutierrez made a diving catch in right to keep Greeneville from getting a rally started.

West responded in the bottom of the inning when McDaniel reached on an error. The senior catcher later scored when Milton reached base on a two-out error.

Greeneville threatened again in the fourth with a lead-off single but Bunsic retired the next three batters in order

The scored stayed 3-1 until the top of the fifth when Jobe walked with two outs, stole her way to third and scored on a shot to right that Gutierrez couldn’t quite bring in.

Messer started the bottom of the inning with a walk before Olodey drove a laser shot over the centerfield fence.

“Mikaela had a big home run for us and blew it open and I felt like a lot of the pressure fell off because it was still in limbo,” Kelley said. “And then Aviah had a big home run.”

Technically, Milton had a comebacker that ricocheted off the pitcher and then scored when Beaver reached on a bunt and a throwing error. Bri Bunsic reached on a single to right and Aviah Bunsic hit the second tape-measure shot over the centerfield fence of the inning.

Greeneville loaded the bases on a soft single sandwiched between two walks but Briony Bunsic worked her way out of it.

West ended things an inning early as Olodey led off with a single and Milton reached on a fielder’s choice when Olodey beat the throw to second.

Dyke singled to left, plating a run and Briony Bunsic batted Milton home.

Aviah Bunsic ended the game with a sharp grounder to third, reaching on an errant throw that allowed Dyke to score the game’s final run.