03/28/2024
Spread the love

A night after coming from behind to beat Whiteville in its season opener Tuesday, East Bladen found itself in rally mode again Wednesday.

This time, however, the rally fell short.

[slideshow_deploy id=’209474′]
Photos by Kenneth Armstrong

Ethan Hinson had three hits and drove in two runs as West Columbus held off the Eagles 8-5 in a nonconference baseball game at Russell Priest Field.

The Vikings (1-0) built an 8-0 lead through 5½ innings and got a line drive double play to end the game.

East Bladen (1-1) overcame an early 4-0 deficit to beat Whiteville 5-4 in eight innings in Tuesday’s season opener.

“We were flat after that win (Tuesday) night,” East Bladen coach Grant Pait said. “A little bit of air was out of them and they came in little bit flat and played flat for five innings.

“I think our starting pitching did a really good job, but we just made a few mishaps and the snowball started.”

Sophomore Evan Pait started on the mound for the Eagles and pitched four innings. He allowed a pair of fourth-inning runs, one hit, struck out six and walked three. Grayson Clark pitched 1/3 of an inning and allowed three runs on five innings. Lefredrick Wooten pitched the final 2 2/3 innings and allowed three runs on three hits with three walks and three strikeouts.

Zach Meares, Brady Hollingsworth and Pait each had two hits for East Bladen. Wooten and Ethan Johnson each had one hit.

The Eagles got on the board with two runs in the sixth and added three more in the seventh.

“They got fight in them,” Pait said, “but when you dig a hole too deep the hole is just too deep. We’ve got to get the me, me, me out and get the team, team, team back in.”

West Columbus, held hitless through three innings, broke the scoreless tie with a pair of runs in the fourth. Hinson led off the inning with a single up the middle and later scored when Colton Powell reached on a fielder’s choice. The Vikings’ second run was scored by Sam West, who stole home on the front end of a double steal.

The Vikings made it 5-0 in the fifth with five consecutive singles and a fielder’s choice. Three singles and three walks in the sixth resulted in three more runs as West Columbus opened an 8-0 lead.

Hollingsworth opened the East Bladen sixth with a double down the left field line and Garrison Tatum walked. Courtesy runner Raymond Autry and Tatum advanced on a wild pitch. Pait’s ground out to short scored Autry with the first Eagles’ run. Tatum then scored on another wild pitch.

In the seventh, Johnson walked and Meares followed with a single to right. Wooten reached on a fielding error that scored Johnson. Hollingsworth slapped his second hit of the game that drove home Meares that made it 8-4. A ground out by Jacob Priest plated Wooten for East Bladen’s final run.

The Eagles host South Columbus next Tuesday, play at Fayetteville Terry Sanford next Wednesday and host East Columbus on May 7.

 

About Author