03/28/2024
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East Bladen High SchoolSophmores Ty Watkins and Xavier Wooten combined to pitch a 2-hit shutout Tuesday night as East Bladen pulled away in the final 3 innings to claim a 10-0 Four County Conference baseball victory at Union.

Watkins carried a no-hitter into the fourth inning, but two hits and a walk loaded the bases for Union with two out. Wooten worked out of the inning on a ground-out to secondbaseman Quinton Bedsole and retired the side in order in the final two innings.

Watkins struck out 4 and walked 2 in his 3.2 innings on the hill. Wooten struck out 3 in his 2.1 innings of relief.

The Eagle offense was held scoreless until the top of the fourth when senior Nikita Owens led off with a single. Watkins hammered a double to drive in Owens, and Wooten walloped a double that scored Watkins.

Bedsole reached base on a fielder’s choice, and freshman Greyson Heustess smacked a single. Sophmore Sincere Smith knocked in Bedsole with a single, sophmore Deondre Newkirk walked, and junior Kyle Tatum was hit by a pitch to force home Heustess and put the Eagles ahead 4-0.

Wooten slammed a one-out double in the fifth and scored on senior Alex Coates’ fielder’s choice.

The Eagles put the game away with 5 runs in the top of the sixth. Heustess reached base on an error, and Smith was hit by a pitch. Newkirk cracked a single that plated Heustess.

An error on Owens’ grounder scored Newkirk, and Nick Collins belted a single that scored Tatum and Owens. Wooten reached base on a passed third strike that scored Collins and pushed the Eagle lead to 10-0.

Smith batted 3-3 with a run batted in to lead the Eagle hitters. Newkirk finished 2-3 with a run scored and an rbi. Wooten ripped 2 doubles, drove in a run and scored one.

Watkins delivered the rbi double and scored a run. Collins laced the 2-run single and scored a run, and Heustess cracked an rbi single and scored twice. Owens contributed a single and scored twice. Tatum scored a run, and Coates drove in a run.

Coach Russell Priest’s Eagles remain unbeaten in conference play at 4-0 and are 8-3 overall. East Bladen will host Wallace-Rose Hill Thursday at 7 p.m.

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