ELIZABETHTOWN – Junior Xavier Wooten and senior Kyle Tatum combined for 4 hits, 4 runs and 5 runs batted in to lead East Bladen to an 11-1 Four County Conference baseball victory over Pender Thursday night.
Wooten batted 2-3 with 3 rbi’s and 2 runs scored, while Kyle Tatum finished 2-3 at the plate with 2 rbi’s and his courtesy runner, Dan Tatum, scored 2 runs.
Sophmore Shy Pone singled and scored 3 runs. Junior Quinton Bedsole connected for the other East Bladen hit. Junior Sincere Smith scored 3 runs, and junior Deondre Newkirk scored one run. Junior Ty Watkins added one rbi.
Wooten started on the mound for the Eagles and pitched 5 strong innings to pick up the win, striking out seven and allowing one unearned run on 5 hits and 3 walks. Smith relieved and pitched a scoreless sixth, striking out two and allowing only one walk.
The Eagles jumped in front with a trio of first-inning runs. Pone was hit by a pitch, and Smith reached base on an error. Kyle Tatum ripped a single to left that scored Pone. Smith stole home on a throw to first base, and Wooten’s fielder’s choice plated Dan Tatum who was running for his brother Kyle.
Wooten lined a single to rightfield in the fourth inning, raced all the way to third base on a ground-out and dashed home on a wild pitch for a 4-0 Eagle lead.
The Patriots pushed across their run in the fifth inning on a walk, a stolen base and an error then left the bases-loaded.
East Bladen doubled their lead with 4 runs in the home fifth. Pone beat out an infield hit, Smith walked and Kyle Tatum laced a single to right-centerfield to load the bases.
Pone scooted home on a wild pitch, and Wooten yanked an infield hit to the shortstop’s backhand that plated Smith. Dan Tatum and Wooten darted home on wild pitches to grow the lead to 8-1.
East Bladen closed the game out with 3 runs in the sixth. Newkirk, Pone, Smith and Kyle Tatum drew walks to begin the inning with Kyle Tatum’s walk forcing home Newkirk. Watkins’ fielder’s choice plated Pone, and Wooten lifted a sacrifice fly to left that brought in Smith with the game-ending run.
Coach Russell Priest’s Eagles improved to 7-2 in conference play and 8-4 overall. East Bladen will host rival West Bladen Tuesday night at 7:00.
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