Cave Spring Comeback Stuns Abingdon In 9-8 Slugfest

Cave Spring slugger Kylie Kent emphatically stomps the plate after her 2-run homer in the Knight third led to a 5-run Cave Spring uprising.
Cave Spring slugger Kylie Kent emphatically stomps the plate after her 2-run homer in the Knight third led to a 5-run Cave Spring uprising.

The never-say-die Cave Spring softball team was at it again Wednesday evening in their Conference 32 semifinal matchup against the Abingdon Falcons.

Some would say they were pushing their luck. For the Lady Knights, it was just another day at the office.
Down to their final two outs with none on base, and trailing the talented Falcons 8-5, Cave Spring fashioned a 4-run rally that was one for the ages, stunning Abingdon and their faithful in the walk-off 9-8 win at the Knights softball complex.
“I was a little concerned,”  Cave Spring senior pitcher Taylor Asimakopoulos admitted after the game. “We were one out away from it being the end (of Cave Spring’s season). Fortunately, the people we needed up were coming to bat.”
Abingdon and its fans were sensing the victory after the Falcons scored two runs in the top of the seventh to extend their advantage to the 8-5 margin. The defending state champion Knights were clearly on the ropes heading to their last at-bat.
Asimakopoulos got the comeback rolling when she drew a walk with one out. Junior Alayna Francis followed with her first home run of the season that got the Knights to within 8-7.
Junior Abby Beatty, who has been plagued by an Achilles injury for most of the season that has hampered her running, then powered a double into the right-center gap, barely beating the throw to second with a masterful hook slide to the bag.
“We’ve told Abby to save it until we need it, then push it,” Cave Spring head coach Nick Sharp noted. “She came through on that play.”
Kylie Kent walked to put the winning runs on base before hard-hitting Knights catcher Pami White grounded to third, forcing Beatty and putting the Falcons one out away from victory.
That brought up junior left-handed batter Cassi Parulis, who had homered to right-center in Cave Spring’s 5-run third inning. Parulis worked the count before hitting a soaring drive deep down the left-field  line. When the ball fell just shy of the foul pole, and a few feet fair, Kent scored and White slid across the plate with the game-winner.
“It’s killing me,” Sharp said of the comeback pressure. “Once we got one on, I thought we had a chance. The heart of this team is amazing. These girls are champions, there’s no quit.”
“It was a great game,” Abingdon head coach Jason Delp said afterward. “I said before the game that these were the two teams that could win the state championship. The caliber of play is great. Today, it was Cave Spring. I’m really proud of my girls. No lead was safe.”
Abingdon had opened the scoring in their half of the third on a 2-RBI double by Falcon pitcher Kelsee Rolen. Cave Spring answered with five runs in the bottom of the frame, fueled by a pair of 2-run homers by Kent and Parulis.
“On the homer, I got an inside pitch that I drove,” Parulis noted. “On the last at-bat I was just looking for a hit. We needed a close game to know the rest of the way we have to fight from the start.”
Down 5-2, Abingdon was far from finished. The Falcons added two runs in the fourth, and two more in both the sixth and seventh innings.
Kent noted the game, a win or go home affair, was stressful.
“I was dialed in on my home run,” the junior said. “i told myself I was going to win this battle. I think it picked up the whole team.”
Abingdon starter Rolen gave up only 7 hits, but three were homers and two were doubles. The Falcons posted 12 hits against Asimakopoulos, including 4 highlight-reel bunt singles. Asimakopoulos improved to 20-1 with the win from the circle.
The Knights advance to host Patrick County in the conference final on Friday. Their win over Abingdon guarantees a regional tournament berth for the Knights.
Bill Turner

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