SPIVEY’S CORNER – Senior Alex Coates struck out ten batters and pitched East Bladen to a big 12-3 baseball victory over 2-time defending Four County Conference champion Midway Tuesday night.
The Raiders had posted a 26-2 record against Four County teams over the past two seasons and reached the Eastern Class 2A Finals last season and the State Class 2A Finals in 2014.
Midway jumped in front with a second inning run on a single, 2 errors and a fielder’s choice.
The Eagles answered with 5 runs in the top of the third. Sophmore Deondre Newkirk led off the inning with a single to rightfield. Sophmores Sincere Smith and Brooks McGill drew walks, before junior Kyle Tatum knocked in the tying run with a single.
Senior Nikita Owens delivered a 2-run single that scored Smith and McGill and put the Eagles ahead to stay. Coates hammered a 2-run double to centerfield that stretched the East lead to 5-1.
Midway scored another unearned run in the third on an error and a single.
In the Eagle fourth Smith smacked a single to centerfield, stole second base, and scored on a throwing error to push the East lead to 6-2.
Sophmore Xavier Wooten reached base on an error by the Raider shortstop in the fifth inning. After Devan Stocks was hit by a pitch, Newkirk drove in Wooten with a single that grew the East lead to 7-2.
Two singles and a fielder’s choice produced a Midway run in the home fifth.
In the Eagle sixth inning, Tatum belted a single and stole second base. Owens walked, and sophmore Ty Watkins ripped a single to rightfield . Wooten reached base on an error that plated Tatum and Owens and extended the East lead to 9-3.
Newkirk walked and Smith was hit by a pitch to begin the East Bladen seventh inning. Tatum delivered a single to right that brought in Newkirk, and Owens swatted a single to rightfield that plated Smith.
Watkins singled, and Wooten’s sacrifice brought home Tatum with the final Eagle run.
Tatum batted 3-5 with 3 runs scored and a run batted in. Smith turned in a 2-3 game and scored 3 runs. Owens finished 2-4 at the plate with 2 runs scored and 3 rbi’s.
Newkirk batted 2-3 with 2 runs scored and an rbi. Coates finished 2-5 at the plate with a double and 2 rbi’s. Watkins also turned in a 2-5 game. McGill cracked one hit and scored a run. Wooten scored a run and drove in 2 runs.
Coates gave up 6 hits, 2 walks, and 3 runs – one earned – as he raised his record to 3-0 on the season.
Coach Russell Priest’s Eagles improved to 3-1 with the victory and will host St. Pauls Wednesday at 7 p.m.
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