Clinton capitalized on six East Bladen errors to score seven unearned runs and post an 8-3 Four County Conference baseball victory at EastWednesday night.
The Dark Horses bunched 3 first-inning singles to scored their only earned run of the night and take an early 1-0 lead.
East Bladen answered in the bottom of the inning as sophmore Kyle Tatum was hit by a pitch, and senior Matthew Massengill beat out an infield hit. An error loaded the bases.
Junior Alex Coates’ fielder’s choice plated Tatum, and a throwing error on the play scored Massengill and put the Eagles on top 2-1.
The Eagles threatened in the third inning. Tatum drew a lead-off walk, and Massengill smacked a single to right. Coates beat out a bunt single to load the bases with one out, but two foul pop-ups ended the inning.
After two were out in the Clinton fifth, an East Bladen error extended the inning, and pitcher Jonathan Wright launched a 2-run homer over the leftfield fence to vault the Dark Horses in front 3-2.
Three fielding errors and a couple of botched bunts produced three Dark Horse runs in the sixth inning. There were no Clinton hits in the inning.
A trio of Clinton hits and a key throwing error led to two more Clinton runs in the top of the seventh.
The Eagles added a final run in the bottom of the seventh. Sincere Smith swatted a single to centerfield, and tried to score when Tatum’s fielder’s choice was misplayed. Smith was thrown out at the plate, but junior Nikita Owens drove in Tatum with a single to centerfield.
Freshman McKinley Raynor batted 2-3 to lead the East Bladen hitters, and Massengill was 2-4 with a run scored. Smith, Owens, Coates and freshman Ty Watkins connected for one hit each. Tatum scored 2 runs, and Coates and Owens drove in runs.
Coates pitched 6.1 innings and allowed only one unearned run on 8 hits. Massengill relieved in the seventh inning and pitched the final 0.2 innings, allowing 2 hits.
Wright went the distance on the mound for Clinton and struck out 13 batters.
The Eagles are now 1-4 in the league and will play Saturday in the J. Hoyt Warren/Wayne Edwards Tournament at Douglas Byrd in Fayetteville at 1 p.m. against Freedom Christian Academy.
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