ELIZABETHTOWN –Clinton pounded out 16 hits and opened up an 11-5 lead with a 4-run 5th inning en route to a 12-5 non-conference baseball victory over East Bladen Monday night.
The Eagles, now 11-11, will visit East Duplin Wednesday night. Clinton, now 13-5, will travel to Fairmont Tuesday night.
Payton Moore, Tyler Hall, Roady Carter and Jaxson Smith belted singles in the Dark Horse 5th. Brennon Bell forced out Hall, Camden Davis was hit by a pitch, and Alex Evans walked. Moore, Carter, Bell and Davis all scored. Bell singled and raced home on Evans’ double in the 7th inning to pad the lead 12-5.
Evans batted 3-for-4 with a double, a triple, 3 runs batted in and 2 runs scored to lead the Clinton hitters. Hall was 3-for-4 with an RBI. Jaxson Smith finished 3-for-5 with a double, 4 RBIs and a run scored. Bell batted 2-for-4 with an RBI and 3 runs scored. Moore was 2-for-4 with 2 runs scored. Cooper Sessoms singled, had 2 RBIs and scored a run.
Bell was hit by a pitch, Evans beat out a bunt, and Jaxon Smith delivered an RBI single as the Dark Horses went up 2-0 early. Moore, Hall and Davis cracked singles that produced a Clinton run in the 2nd.
Jaxson Smith led off the Clinton 3rd with a double, and Hall and Davis followed with singles as the lead grew to 5-0.
The Eagles answered in the 3rd inning. Senior D.A. Smith walked and stole 2nd base. Senior Jake Futrell knocked him with a single to right. Futrell scored as sophomore Davion Lewis reached base on an error then stole 2nd base. Senior Carson Gooden smoked a single to left-center field that drove in Lewis and trimmed the margin to 5-3.
Clinton tacked on 2 runs in the 4th to up the count to 7-3. Bell singled and advanced on a wild pitch, but was retired on Davis’ fielder’s choice. Evans walloped an RBI triple to right-center field then scored on Jaxson Smith’s fielder’s choice.
Senior Na’Toren Corbett was hit by a pitch, and senior Britt Sasser walked with 1-out in the Eagle 5th. Sasser was forced out on D. A. Smith’s fielder’s choice that scored Corbett. Futrell hammered a double to right-center field that scored D. A. Smith and sliced the lead to 7-5.
Futrell batted 2-for-4 with a double, 2 RBIs and a run scored for the Eagles. Gooden finished 2-for-3 at the plate with an RBI. Senior Lee Barnes added a single.
Freshman Jayce Hatcher started on the mound and pitched 3 innings allowing 5 runs on 8 hits while striking out 2. Sasser worked 1.2 innings of relief and allowed 6 runs on 5 hits and a walk. Barnes finished up with 2.1 innings of relief and allowed a run on 3 hits while striking out 5.
Hall started on the mound for Clinton and allowed 5 runs – 3 earned – on 5 hits and 3 walks while striking out 5. Jaxson Smith pitched a scoreless, hitless final 3 innings and struck out 7.
Clinton 212 240 1 — 12-16-3
East Bladen 003 200 0 — 5- 5- 1
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