SHALLOTTE – East Bladen racked up 11 hits and battled back from a 4-0 deficit but came up a run short dropping a 4-3 decision Monday to Class 4A Cox Mill from Concord in the Spring Break Softball Tournament at West Brunswick.
The Lady Eagles, now 5-9, will battle the host West Brunswick team – a 16-1 opening round loser to South Stanly – Tuesday at 1:30 in a consolation bracket game.
Sophomore Mollie Tolar smacked a single through the middle to begin the East 5th inning. Senior AnnaGrey Heustess reached base on a fielder’s choice, and senior Karli Priest forced Tolar at 3rd base. Both Heustess and Priest advanced on freshman Cabria Baldwin’s infield out.
Senior Laura Davisson belted a single to center field that scored Heustess and Priest. Freshman Niyah Wooten smoked a single to center, and freshman Jenna Brice yanked a single to left that scored Davisson and sliced the lead to 4-3.
Heustess cracked a 2-out single in the Lady Eagle 6th inning and was stranded, and Wooten walloped a double off the base of the fence in left with 2 out in the 7th inning but a ground-out ended the game.
Priest pitched a complete-game 6-hitter for East Bladen striking out 6 and allowing 4 runs – 2 earned – and 2 walks.
Brice batted 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI to lead the Lady Eagle hitters. Wooten finished 2-for-4 at the plate with a double. Davisson delivered the 2 RBI single and scored a run. Priest, Baldwin, sophomore Martha Simmons, Tolar and Heustess connected for 1 hit each. Heustess and Priest scored runs.
Junior Allyson Campbell slammed a 1st inning double and raced home on junior Tessa Autrey’s single. A walk, 2 infield hits and an error produced a pair of Lady Charger runs in the 2nd inning. Autrey slugged a home run in the 3rd inning to pad the lead to 4-0.
Autrey finished 3-for-4 at the plate with a double, a home run and 2 RBIs to lead the Cox Mill hitters. Campbell doubled and scored a run. Freshman Moriah Antis singled and scored a run.
Cox Mill 121 000 0 — 4 -6-0
East Bladen 000 030 0 — 3-11-1
About Author
