KINGSPORT, Tenn. - The cousins came through for the Blue Tornado.
Freshman Averi Fuller picked up her first varsity win and her cousin, Ady Moore, drove in a run in the top of the sixth inning to lead Richlands to a 2-1 six-inning victory over West Ridge on a cold, rainy, windy and even snowy Friday night in the Eastman Invitational at Brickyard Park.
"I was cold. At the start of the game I was freezing. I was like ugghhh, this is going to be awful," said Fuller, who scattered four hits, struck out 10 and walked just one. "As long as I got out there pitching I warmed up some and then it started to snow and rain, I don't know what you call that. That was a little tough, but I know I have a great field behind me to work with."
Fuller was in a thankful mood after picking up that memorable first win.
"It feels awesome. I want to give all the glory to God," she said. "He is the one that allows us to be out there and play and have fun and do the things we love."
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Richlands (6-2) also defeated Unicoi County 3-0 earlier on Friday with Arin Rife continuing her stellar season by striking out 18 and allowing just two hits. Fuller said much of her improvement as a pitcher comes from watching and working with Rife, both of whom work with area pitching coach Denny Tincher.
"Arin has done real good. She has been locked in, she got locked in earlier today and when you have got two great pitchers it is just a joy to be coaching," Richlands head coach James "Moose" Cochran said. "They are both exceptional and to have one that is a senior and you know is going to have to go. You hate to lose her, but then to have a freshman like Averi coming just makes you ecstatic. You know you don't have any dropoff."
West Ridge (9-5), which defeated Clinton, 5-1, earlier in the day, also got a solid outing in the circle from Victoria Browder, who struck out eight and allowed three hits in five innings. Miranda Henley replaced her in the sixth and wound up with the loss under International tiebreaker rules.
"I think we struck out 10 tonight. I couldn't ask for more from our pitchers," West Ridge head coach Bill Wagner said. "They threw what we wanted them to do. The hit they got in that tiebreaker inning. That was a good pitch, it was just a little blooper right over third right on the line, not enough time for a shortstop to get over. I had no issues with that whatsoever because we did all we could do and it just happened the way it happened...Richlands has a really good pitcher. She will take them far this year."
The clubs were tied at 1-1 through five innings when the 80-minute time limit for tournament games expired. That meant the use of International rules, which like Major League Baseball, is putting a runner on second base to start what was the sixth inning for both teams.
"You just kind of used to it and you accept it. Sometimes in these tournaments they just let it play out. At least with the tiebreaker they give you a chance to try to execute and do some things. Here again, that is experience for down the road," Wagner said. "Brian Tate does a phenomenal job with this tournament, year-in and year-out. I think the decisions they make here about how to let teams play and leave it up to the teams to decide and not different rules based off of minutes of play. They leave it up to the teams, not up to a clock or an umpire."
Richlands started the sixth with Raven Crabtree on second base. Moore then sliced a two-out pitch by Henley in a perfect location behind third base that allowed Crabtree to hustle in for the deciding run.
"That was a big two-out hit by Addy because we had the top of the lineup up and three good hitters," Cochran said. "I elected to let those three swing and the first two didn't do good and Addy came through with the big hit and Haven has good speed so she scored. Just a great job by Averi and the girls defensively. One little slip, but other than I couldn't be prouder of the way they played tonight."
The two teams combined to strike out seven times apiece in the opening inning before the Wolves got on the board in the fourth when Lilly Frazier walked, stole second, moved to third on an infield hit by Caydence Spears and scored on a wild pitch. Richlands answered in the top of the fifth with a double by Fuller, followed by a sacrifice bunt and infield groundout by Irelyn Osborne
West Ridge loaded the bases in the fifth as the clock approached :00 when lone senior Sierra Horton reached on a dropped fly ball in left field. She moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and the next two batters, Natalie Moore and Kami Clark, also bunted with hopes of bringing in Horton. However, Fuller showed a veteran presence by refusing the throw the ball to first base, which loaded the bases for the Wolves.
"I just didn't want to risk a throw," Fuller said. "I know I had a solid team and I wasn't worried."
Fuller was able to induce a ground ball that resulted in a force play at home and struck out Frazier to get out of the jam.
"She did a great job, gutsy performance. She could have dropped her head there when we dropped that fly ball, but she didn't," Cochran said. "She was just a bulldog on the mound tonight, love it, she has been hurt a little bit and we have just been waiting to get her on the mound and good to see her take charge and get her first high school win. That is what I told her, great job."
Wagner, who has just one senior on a young squad, was impressed with Fuller's heady play in the field under adverse conditions. West Ridge got a runner to third base with one out in the bottom of the sixth, but Fuller left her stranded there.
"It was a smart play. We were hoping to push them into a mistake and they just didn't make a mistake," Wagner said. "It is a really good ball club, they have got five seniors that have been through tough stretches before. We have only got one senior (Horton). She got a big hit for us tonight. She plays part-time for us, but she is really good in the dugout for us."
Richlands, which also played in a tournament in West Virginia last month, returns to Kingsport today to face Greenbrier and Clinton.
"We have got a real good group of girls," Cochran said. "We have just been talking about doing the little things and we have got a good road ahead. We will just enjoy the journey and grow every day, really proud of these girls."
West Ridge (9-5), which won two of five games in a tournament last week in Alabama, will face Greenbrier and Unicoi County today before beginning bracket play to set up Sunday's championship round. Thursday's first round games were wiped out due to poor field conditions.
"Anytime in a tournament it is just a fight to move on," Wagner said. "That is all we want to do. We hate that we couldn't play yesterday, but it was a good decision because the fields were not ready. You just take what the good Lord gives you. He put us in this situation and we are going to play here."
Richlands 000 011 - 2 4 1
West Ridge 000 100 - 1 4 0
Fuller and A.Moore. Browder, Henley (6) and N.Moore. W-Fuller; L-Henley. HR-none.
In other Eastman Invitational action on Friday:
Alcoa 9, Honaker 0
Halle Bailey, Dylan Jablonski, Gabby Burkhart and Adrianna King had two hits each to lead the Tornadoes past Honaker in Eastman Invitational action. Maddy Stewart also drove in two runs for Alcoa, which got with 13 hits, including five doubles, while Burkhart allowed one hit and struck out seven on the mound.
Honaker's lone hit was a single by Jaiden Thompson. Gracie Shelton took the loss in the circle.
Alcoa 230 040 - 9 13 0
Honaker 000 000 - 0 1 2
Shelton and Dye. Burkhart and Emert. W-Burkhart; L-Dye. HR-none.
David Crockett 9, Honaker 2
Lexi Hawkins homered and joined Madelyn Dulaney with two RBIs to lead the Pioneers to a late game victory over the Tigers.
Brylee Tullock, Allison Orren and Dulaney had two hits and scored twice. Cara Wilson allowed just two hits to pick up the win.
Rylee Rasnake and Thompson had the lone hits for Honaker, while also driving in a run apiece. Aliyah Hilton was the losing pitcher.
Honaker 000 02 - 2 2 3
David Crockett 412 2x - 9 11 1
Hilton and Dye. Wilson and Orren. W-Wilson; L-Hilton; HR-none.
*Other games involving local teams on Friday: Wise County Central fell to Morristown East, 6-3, and Daniel Boone, 11-1. Defending VHSL Class 2 state champion Tazewell lost to Macon East, 10-0, and Halls, 17-0.
*In Saturday games, Honaker faces Walker Valley and Daniel Boone. Tazewell will meet Dobyns-Bennett and Cookeville, Wise County Central will play Powell and David Crockett, while Rye Cove will tangle with Alcoa.