A perfect game, well-deserved recognition for a local volunteer and spring sports All-Conference teams highlighted the second quarter of 2015 Bladen sports highlights.
East Bladen junior Alex Coates pitched a perfect game to lead East Bladen to a 2-0 Four County Conference baseball victory at Wallace-Rose Hill. Coates struck out 6 and needed only 71 pitches to retire all 21 batters. “It was all kind of routine plays, and we made them,” said East Bladen Assistant Coach Robby Priest
Coach Russell Priest’s Eagles reached the Class 2A Play-offs but were eliminated at Croatan to finish with a 10-13 season record. Pitcher/infielder Coates and catcher Kyle Tatum were named to the All-Four County Conference team.
Elizabethtown Dixie Youth Baseball League President Mark Gillespie was named Assistant State Director for North Carolina Dixie Youth Baseball. Gillespie has been involved in DYB most of his adult life and has been Elizabethtown League President since 1992.
West Bladen advanced to the third round of the Class 2A Baseball play-offs. Jeremy Hunt pitched a six-hit 2-0 victory at Ayden-Grifton, and Trent West slugged the go-ahead home run in a 2-1 victory at Edenton Holmes. However Croatan eliminated the Knights 9-4.
Coach Kim Cain’s Knights finished 12-9 on the season. Centerfielder Trevor Lesane and catcher Colby McLean were All-Four County Conference selections.
Coach Patty Evers’ East Bladen softball team received the top Class 2A play-off berth from the Four County Conference, but fell behind 4-0 early in their first round game, battled back to tie the game 5-5 but lost to Jacksonville Northside 11-6 in 8 innings.
The Lady Eagles finished the season with a 14-6 record. Catcher Lexi Dawson, pitcher Miller Heustess and pitcher/outfielder Lacey Suggs received All-Four County Conference honors.
Coach Pam Stephens’ West Bladen softball team qualified for the Class 2A Play-offs but were eliminated in the first round at Washington and finished with a 12-9 record. Infielder Morgan Sweeney and pitcher Nicole Wyatt were named to the All-Four County Conference team.
Three East Bladen Eagles qualified for the NCHSAA Class 2A State Track Meet. Dwight Campbell qualified for the Boys 110 Meter High Hurdles. Campbell was named to the All-Four County Conference track team.
Twin brothers Eian Hines and Ethan Hines competed in the Boys Long Jump State Finals where they finished 12th and 13th respectively. Ethan Hines was the MidEast Regional Long Jump Champion with a leap of 22 feet, 6.25 inches.
East Bladen’s Justyna Gargala and Lexie Mendell and West Bladen’s Alama Reyes were named to the All-Four County Conference girls soccer team. Coach Jay Raynor’s Lady Eagles finished 7-11 and were eliminated in the first round of the Class 2A State Play-offs by Clinton.
A trio of Bladenboro natives and West Bladen grads who were also softball teammates at Southeastern Community College received awards at the 2015 Region X DII Banquet in Burlington.
Abbey Walters was named the Region X Player of the Year and was also selected to the All-Region First Team Infield and as an All-Region First Team Pitcher.
Walters and teammate Kaitlyn Sykes were both chosen to the All-Academic Team. Teammate Robin Coleman was named to the All-Region Second Team as a Pitcher.
Elizabethtown received the Sportsmanship Trophy at the Dixie Youth District 9 Coach-Pitch Tournament in Fairmont. Members of Coach Rusty Hill’s Elizabethtown All-Stars were: Tyler Lewis, Connor Smith, Chase Butler, Zach Sholar, Colton Daly, Gabe Cashwell, Nolan Tatum, Ryan Dove, Davion Lewis, Marcus Williams, Tony Todd, and Iveonna “Nene” Ward. Assistant Coaches were Justin Lewis, David Smith and David Wall, Jr.
About Author
