ST PAULS – East Bladen’s Eagles piled up 11 runs in the 1st 3 innings and secured sole possession of 3rd place in the Southeastern Athletic Conference with an 11-3 baseball victory over St. Pauls Friday night.
Coach Grant Pait’s Eagles finished SAC-7 play with a 7-5 record and are 11-10 overall. St. Pauls dropped to 6-6 and into a 4th place tie with West Bladen. The Bulldogs are 8-13 overall. The teams now must await the release of the NCHSAA playoff brackets to learn their fate for next week.
The Bulldogs struck early as Cameron Revels and Tommy Parker singled, and Kemarion Baldwin drove them in with a triple to right field for a 2-0 Bulldog lead.
The Eagles answered with 6 runs in the 2nd inning. Junior Jake Futrell ripped a double to left field, and junior Lee Barnes walked. Senior Weston Hatcher slammed a double to left that scored Futrell. Tyler Johnson’s fielder’s choice retired Barnes, but senior Marlan Davis smoked a single to center that scored Hatcher with the tying run.
Senior Evan Pait scorched a single to center field that plated Johnson with the go-ahead run. Senior Zamar Lewis was hit by a pitch. Davis darted home on a passed ball, before senior Ty Mathis walked. Futrell raked a single to left that scored Pait and Lewis for a 6-2 lead.
Barnes lined a single to left and Hatcher walked to start the Eagle 3rd inning. Davis’ infield hit loaded the bases, but Barnes dashed home on a passed ball, and Hatcher scored on Pait’s fielder’s choice. Lewis was hit by a pitch.
Davis scooted home on a wild pitch, and Mathis reached base on an error that scored Lewis. Futrell was hit by a pitch, and senior Garrison Tatum’s infield hit plated Mathis for an 11-2 lead.
Zious Dorley singled to start the Bulldog 3rd inning, and Tommy Parker smashed a double. Baldwin’s sacrifice fly scored Dorley to trim the lead to 11-3.
Futrell batted a perfect 3-for-3 with a double, 2 RBIs and a run scored to lead the Eagle hitters. Davis finished 3-for-4 at the plate with an RBI and 2 runs scored. Pait batted 2-for-4 with 2 RBIs and a run scored. Hatcher doubled, scored twice and had an RBI.
Lewis, Garrison Tatum, Barnes and Coleman Tatum added 1 hit each for East Bladen. Lewis scored twice, and Mathis, Barnes and Johnson scored 1 run each. Garrison Tatum had an RBI.
Futrell started and pitched 6 innings allowing 3 runs on 5 hits and a walk while striking out 7. Barnes gave up a hit and struck out 2 in his scoreless inning of relief.
Tommy Parker batted 2-for-3 with a double and scored a run for the Bulldogs. Baldwin blasted the 2-run triple. Dorley, Cameron Revels and C. McNeill had 1 hit each.
Revels started on the mound for the Bulldogs and pitched 1.2 innings giving up 6 runs on 7 hits and 2 walks while striking out 3. McNeill worked 4.1 innings of relief and gave up 5 runs – 3 earned – on 8 hits and 3 walks while striking out 2.
East Bladen 065 000 0 — 11-13-0
St Pauls 201 000 0 — 3- 6- 1
About Author
