WHS softball falls
By Andy Kruse
Special to the Democrat

The Watauga softball team attempted to get a win for their final regular season home game Thursday night against West Forsyth, but went home disappointed with a 13-5 loss.

The Pioneers also lost 3-0 to Alexander Central Friday night.

Watauga (9-12) came out with a bang in the first inning aainst West Forsyth when Hannah Yates popped a three-run homer driving in Chandler Butler and Nicole Reilly.

“I was ready to come at her,” Yates said. “I said I can and I did.”

The Pioneers held the lead until the fourth inning when hot West Forsyth bats combined with Watauga errors turned the game around.

Kelsey Rominger, a sophomore, made her debut varsity start on the mound for Watauga in an effort to save Reilly’s arm for Friday’s game against Alexander Central.

“Kelsey did a heck of a job,” Pioneers coach Brian Vannoy said. “I wanted three or four innings from her and she gave them to me.”

But after West Forsyth (16-3) loaded the bases in the fourth inning, Vannoy brought in the veteran Reilly.

However, the Titans managed to score three runs that inning and two in the fifth.

Reilly, who pitched a no-hitter against East Burke on Tuesday, is suffering from shin splints, so she couldn’t quite keep the ball in the strike zone like normal.

“It’s a different mindset as a relief having to come in the middle of the inning with the bases loaded,” Reilly said. “And it didn’t work to well for me today.”

Rominger was put back on the mound in the sixth inning and finished out the game.

West Forsyth pitcher Blynn Smith was throwing strong, and backed by a solid defense kept the Pioneers down for the duration. Only Butler and Yates scored again.

“I was expecting a low scoring game,” Vannoy said. “But we played well and I was especially proud of the way we came out.”

The Pioneers are gearing up for the conference tournament next Friday.