Members of the Bladen County 10-and-Under Softball All-Stars are: Bella Robinson, Brenna Hester, Gracey Clark, Kali Allen, Aubrei Nixon, Leea Wilkins, Niyah Wooten, Tatum Allen, Jenna Brice, Taylor Dowless, Greer Pope, Karlee Gause and Addison Wilcox. Coaches are Alex Barbour, Jamie Brice, and David Allen.
TARBORO – Aubrei Nixon reached on a two-out error and came around to score the deciding run Saturday night as Bladen County edged Henderson-Vance 4-3 in the semifinals of the Statewide Activities Committee State 10U Softball Tournament at Indian Lake Sports Complex.
The loss avenged a 1-0 loss to Henderson-Vance in the first round Saturday. Bladen County then won an elimination game against Nash County 12-4.
Bladen County is matched against unbeaten Randolph County on Sunday at noon in the championship. If Bladen County wins the first game, another game will be played.
BLADEN COUNTY 4, HENDERSON-VANCE 3
Bladen County didn’t have a hit in its elimination-game win against Henderson-Vance, but took advantage of three walks, three errors and stolen bases to pull out the win.
Bladen County scored two runs in the first when Tatum Allen, Brenna Hester and Leea Williams opened the game with walks. Allen and Hester both scored before the next three batters struck out.
Bladen County added anothr run in the second. Jenna Brice reached on an error and later scored.
Henderson-Vance also had scored three runs through two innings.
Bladen County broke the tie in the fourth, then retired Henderson-Vance in the fifth to seal the win.
BLADEN COUNTY 12, NASH COUNTY 4
Bladen County sent 13 batters to the plate and scored nine runs in the second inning in winning the elimination game and advancing to the semifinals.
Hester, Niyah Wooten and Kali Allen had hits to spark the rally that also included six consecutive walks to start the second and four Nash County errors.
Bladen County added three runs in the third.
Nash County scored once in the first and three times in the second. Nash County had one hit, a walk and three hit batters. Bladen County was charged with one error.
Hester was 2-for-3 and Wooten and Kali Allen each had a hit.
Tatum Allen, Wilkins and Taylor Dowless each scored two runs. Hester, Wooten, Kali Allen, Brice, Addi Wilcox and Bella Robinson each scored a run.
HENDERSON-VANCE 1, BLADEN COUNTY 0
Henderson-Vance pushed across a run in the fifth to win the opening-round game which featured no base hits and a combined 30 strikeouts.
Henderson-Vance’s Brittany Ovando opened the inning with a walk. The next two batters were retired. Kendall Ayscue reached on an error and Ovando scored.
Bladen County’s Wooten reached on a two-out error in the bottom of the sixth, but was left stranded.
Three times Bladen County had a runner reach third base — Tatum Allen in the first, Wilcox in the third and Dowless in the fifth — but couldn’t score.
Bladen County pitcher Jenna Brice pitched a no-hitter, struck out 13 and walked three.
Bladen County didn’t have a hit, but were issued six walks. The team struck out 17 times against Henderson-Vance pitching. Brice, who grounded out, and Wooten, who reached on the error, were the lone Bladen players to put the ball in play.
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