BLADENBORO – Senior Abigail Madden beat out an infield hit and eventually darted home with the winning run in the bottom of the 7th inning as West Bladen edged East Bladen 2-1 Thursday night in a Three Rivers Conference softball game with huge playoff implications.
East Bladen could have clinched the No. 2 playoff spot with a victory, but the West Bladen win coupled with Whiteville’s 15-3 loss to TRC champion South Columbus leaves East Bladen, West Bladen and Whiteville in a 3-way tie for that No. 2 playoff berth.
Since the 3 teams own identical 6-2 league records and all 3 teams have a 1-1 record in head-to-head competition against the other 2 teams, a drawing conducted by TRC President Russell Dove will be held to determine the No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4 finishers in the league. The No. 2 team will receive a playoff berth, and the No. 3 team could receive a Wild Card berth but that has proven to be unlikely for TRC teams in other sports.
But back to Thursday’s epic game at West. After her 7th inning single, Madden advanced to 2nd base as sophomore Rylee Chadwick reached base on an error. Madden stole 3rd base then scooted home on a passed ball with the winning run.
That run ended a classic pitching duel between Chadwick and East Bladen senior Kayleigh Raynor. Chadwick pitched a 5-hitter, struck out 10 batters, walked one and allowed the one run. Raynor pitched a 6-hitter, struck out 8 batters, walked 2 and gave up 2 runs.
“It was a great game,” said Lady Knight Coach Pam Stephens. “Both teams played well.”
Raynor walloped a double to centerfield to lead off the game then stole 3rd base, but was stranded there as Chadwick struck out the next 2 batters and got the 3rd out on a come-backer to the circle.
West Bladen grabbed a 1-0 1st inning lead. Chadwick laced a 2-out single to leftfield, and after sophomore Kylie Durden walked, junior Jessalyn Vendrick knocked in Chadwick with a single to centerfield. Sophomore Madison Taylor walked to load the bases, but Raynor fanned the next batter to end the inning.
Senior Carlie West smacked a single to rightfield to begin the East 3rd inning, and sophomore Maegan Burney walked. Raynor’s fielder’s choice advanced both runners. Sophomore second baseman Hailey Guyton fielded the next batter’s ground ball and threw out West at the plate with a peg to sophomore catcher Mackenzie Singletary. Chadwick ended the inning with a strikeout.
Raynor retired 10 batters in a row until senior Shelby Pharr led off the West Bladen 5th inning with a pinch-hit single to rightfield. Two outs later Madden sliced a single to leftfield, but a force-out at 3rd base ended the inning.
Sophomore Karli Priest ripped a 2-out single to left-centerfield in the East 6th inning. Junior Mariah Smith swatted a single to rightfield, and an error on the play allowed Priest to race home with the tying run. Smith reached 3rd base on the play, but Chadwick retired the next batter to leave her there.
Vendrick yanked a 1-out single to left in the 6th inning and advanced to 3rd base on a couple of errors as Taylor reached base. However Raynor rallied with a strike-out of the next batter, and a fly-out to rightfield ended the inning.
Vendrick batted 2-for3 with a run batted in to lead the Lady Knight hitters. Madden finished 2-for-4 at the plate with a run scored. Chadwick singled and scored a run. Pharr had the other West Bladen hit.
West batted 2-for-3 to lead the Lady Eagle hitters. Raynor slammed a double. Priest singled and scored a run, and Smith contributed a single.
The Lady Knights, now 10-4 overall, and Lady Eagles, now 7-6 overall, will await Friday’s drawing that will decide their post-season fates.
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