LAKE WACCAMAW — Freshman Jayce Hatcher and sophomore Davion Lewis teamed up to pitch a 5-hitter and strike out 12 batters Thursday night as they led East Bladen to a 13-4 Waccamaw Conference baseball victory over East Columbus.
Coach Grant Pait’s Eagles improved to 3-1 in Waccamaw play and 4-5 overall and will visit Pender Monday night. East Columbus, now 1-2 in league play and 3-3 overall, will visit Scotland Saturday.
Hatcher started and pitched 4 innings to pick up the win allowing 2 runs on 3 hits and 3 walks while striking out 6. Lewis closed it out with 3 innings of relief giving up 2 runs on 2 hits and a walk while striking out 6.
A 7-run 1st inning propelled the Eagles to the victory. Seniors Darius Williamson and Jake Futrell drew walks to start the game. Both runners advanced by stealing a base. Senior Parker Greene reached base on an error that scored Williamson. Lewis swatted a double to right field that scored Futrell and senior Tyler Johnson, the courtesy runner for Greene.
Hatcher and senior Britt Sasser drew walks, and senior Lee Barnes drilled a single to right that scored Lewis. Senior D. A. Smith lifted a sacrifice fly to right that plated Andrew Musselwhite, the courtesy runner for Hatcher. Sasser dashed home on a wild pitch, and Cole Butler drove in Barnes with a sacrifice fly to center field.
The Gators rallied with single runs in the 3rd and 4th innings. Freshman Eli Jacobs doubled home a run in the 4th.
Back came the Eagles with 3 runs in the 5th inning. Lewis hammered a double to right, advanced on a wild pitch and scored when Hatcher smacked a single. Musselwhite, the courtesy runner for Hatcher, scored on an error after Sasser walked. Sasser raced home on a wild pitch for a 10-2 lead.
East Columbus trimmed the lead to 10-3 in the 5th, but Lewis raked a single to the left side to start the Eagle 6th inning. Kalec Autry ripped a single to left, and Carson Gooden roped a single to left that scored Musselwhite, the courtesy runner for Lewis. Autry scored on a wild pitch to push the lead to 12-3.
Butler slapped a single to left to begin the Eagle 7th inning. Sophomore Colten Daly belted a single to left field. Futrell reached base on a fielder’s choice then scored on an error to boost the lead to 13-3.
Lewis batted 3-for-5 with 2 doubles, 2 runs batted in and 2 runs scored to lead the Eagles at the plate. Barnes finished 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Butler, Gooden, Sasser, Autry, Hatcher and Daly connected for 1 hit each. Greene, Hatcher, Gooden, Smith and Butler drove in runs. Futrell and Sasser scored 2 runs each. Musselwhite scored 3 runs, and Williamson, Autry and Johnson scored runs.
Junior Nick Rye batted 2-for-3 to lead the Gator hitters. Eli Jacobs doubled home a run and scored a run. Sophomore Brooks McLean started and pitched 4 innings for the Gators allowing 9 runs – 7 earned- on 5 hits and 5 walks while striking out 2. Adrion Jennerette worked 3 innings of relief and allowed 4 runs – 2 earned – on 6 hits and a walk while striking out 3.
East Bladen 700 032 1 — 13-11-1
East Columbus 001 110 1 — 4- 5-3
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