The script for Emma Leath to exit Cavalier Park could not have played out any better if Aaron Sorkin penned it himself. Leath was honored before the game, alongside fellow senior tennis player Jabin Talley, and then she led Carroll County (17-3, 10-2) to the outright Three Rivers District Championship by defeating Radford 9-1 Tuesday night.
Leath recorded 11 strikeouts, pushing her career total up to 713 while scattering seven hits as she finished the game for the 20th straight time for the Cavaliers.
Carroll County head coach Rick Nester started eight players that were either freshman or sophomores with three more out due to recent injuries. Shortstop Addie Greene is rehabbing from an ankle sprain suffered last week and Nester plugged in another freshman, Kenzey McMillian, into her spot in the starting lineup.
To call this team young is doing injustice to the word young. That brings us back to Leath and her fellow senior, Katherine Lindamood. The fact that Leath pitched so effectively isn’t breaking news as she has made a career of it, but against the Bobcats she went full on Beast Mode at the plate.
Both teams went down in order for the first two-plus innings but that changed when Brooke Webb led off the bottom of the third by getting hit by a pitch. Madison Coleman bunted her over to second ahead of a walk to Laynie-Jo Leonard. Holly Miller reached base on a fielder’s choice and promptly stole second base, bringing Leath to the plate with an opportunity to help her own cause.
Leath laced a 2-run single to plate both Coleman and Miller. Coleman reached on a walk to lead off the fifth inning and it was Leonard that laid down the perfect sacrifice bunt to put Coleman in scoring position. One out later the 5’1 Leath laced an RBI single to push the lead out to 3-0.
In the top of the sixth inning Leath found herself in a rare bases-loaded jam with only one out. The next batter popped out to Emma Harman at second base, bringing Kyra Rollins to the plate as the go-ahead run.
Rollins timed up a pitch and sent a rocket to the deepest part of the ballpark. Miller combined a great jump on the ball and her blazing speed to make the catch just short of the fence. The loud out ended the threat and in the bottom of the inning CCHS broke the game open with a six-run rally.
Carlie Beamer pinch hit during the rally and picked up a RBI with a ground out. Leath added a third single to push her RBI total up to five for the night. Harman capped the frame with a RBI single.
“I am so proud of this group of young ladies, they give us their best every night,” said Nester. “In regards to what Emma Leath has meant to our program is close to indescribable. She has led us both on and off the diamond.”
Showing respect to assistant Coach Jeff Tobler by choosing him to be her catcher for the Ceremonial First Pitch started the evening. Then there was 11 more strikeouts and victory #61. Don’t forget the career-high five RBIs.
Leath will have an encore performance this Friday night when the Lady Cavs welcome Lord Botetourt to The Hill for the Regional tournament opener for both teams.
First pitch is set for 6 p.m.
Radford 000 000 1 - 1 7 0
Carroll 002 016 x - 9 9 1
Burton, Price (6) and (R); Leath and Burress (CC). WP - Leath. LP - Burton. 2B - Rollins (R); Harman (CC).
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