ELIZABETHTOWN — It’s every team’s dream to get off a fast start to begin the season.
The East Bladen baseball team outdid itself Wednesday at Russell Priest Field in the 2022 opener.
The Eagles sent 18 batters to the plate and scored 13 runs in their first at-bat of the season en route to a 14-0 rout of South Columbus.
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Photos by Kenneth Armstrong
Junior right-hander Evan Pait pitched a two-hit shutout for East Bladen. He walked one and struck out 12 of the 18 batters he faced and struck out the side in the second, third and fifth innings. The Stallions’ Daquan Cox cracked a two-out triple in the first and Domnick Johnson doubled in the fifth.
Ethan Johnson and Raymond Autry each had two-run singles during the first-inning uprising, but those hits came long after East Bladen had taken command.
Chase Starkloff led off and reached on an error ahead of consecutive walks to Johnson, Pait, Autry, Garrison Tatum and Zamar Lewis that gave the Eagles an early 3-0 lead.
After a pair of strikeouts, Marlan Davis drew another bases-loaded walk and Starkloff was hit by a pitch that made it 5-0.
Johnson followed with East Bladen’s first hit that drove in two runs. Pait walked again to reload the bases. Autry connected for his two-run single that made it 9-0.
Tatum’s single scored courtesy runner Nyquan Richardson. Zamar Lewis walked to reload the bases. Tyler Johnson was hit by a pitch and Nazire Smith walked that forced home a pair of runs. The Eagles’ 13th run was scored by Lewis, who scampered home on a wild pitch.
East Bladen’s final run came in the third when Tatum opened with a double to left and went to third on an error. Courtesy runner Ahmad Powell scored on a wild pitch.
Tatum went 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles and two RBIs for East Bladen. Ethan Johnson was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBIs. Autry was 1-for-2 with two runs scored and three driven in. Lewis and Davis each had a hit and drove in a run.
East Bladen is scheduled to play at South Columbus on Friday in a nonconference game.
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