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Photos by Kenneth Armstrong
ST PAULS – Senior right-hander Alex Coates pitched a 2-hitter and struck out 7 batters to lead East Bladen to an 11-1 non-conference baseball victory Thursday over St. Pauls.
Coates only needed 65 pitches to secure the 5-inning victory and raise his record to 2-0.
Brad Locklear led off the third inning with a single and eventually scored an unearned run on an error. Chay Locklear added a fifth inning single for the other Bulldog hit.
Sophmore Brooks McGill cracked a single to start the Eagles 4-run first inning, and junior Kyle Tatum walloped a double to left-centerfield that scored McGill.
Sophmore Xavier Wooten was hit by a pitch, and Ty Watkins walked. Sophmore Quinton Bedsole reached base on an error as Tatum and Wooten scored, and Coates belted a single that plated Watkins.
Wooten ripped a single to start the third inning, and Watkins smacked a single. Bedsole lined a single to centerfield that drove in Wooten, and Coates connected for a single that plated Watkins and put the Eagles up 6-0.
Tatum drew a one-out walk in the fourth and stole second. Wooten was hit by a pitch and Watkins slammed a 2-run double to score Tatum and Wooten.
Watkins scored on an error, and Bedsole walked. Coates knocked in Bedsole with a single to right-centerfield for a 10-1 lead.
Sophmore Sincere Smith walked to begin the fifth inning and stole second base. Tatum laced a single to left-centerfield that drove in Smith and upped the count to 11-1.
Coates batted a perfect 3-3 and drove in 3 runs. Tatum finished 2-2 with a double, 2 runs scored and 2 runs batted in. Watkins turned in a 2-2 game with a double, 3 runs scored and 2 rbi’s. Wooten had a hit and 3 runs scored. McGill singled and scored a run. Bedsole added a hit, a run scored and an rbi.
The Eagles improved to 2-1 with the victory and will open Four County Conference play at conference favorite Midway Tuesday night.
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