BLADENBORO – East Bladen’s Eagles pounded out 11 hits Saturday to defeat West Bladen 15-3 in Three Rivers Conference baseball action.
Coach Russell Priest’s Eagles were assured of the TRC’s No. 2 Class 2A playoff berth Friday night when St. Pauls defeated Red Springs. East Bladen finished the regular season with a 13-4 league record and 16-6 overall mark.
After a scoreless first inning, sophomore Brady Hollingsworth laced a single to centerfield to start the Eagle second and junior Gabe Barber reached base on an error. Senior Spencer Scott walked, and senior Dan Tatum reached base on a dropped fly ball that scored Jay McKoy, the courtesy runner for Hollingsworth. An error on Josh McKoy’s fielder’s choice plated Barber and Scott for a 3-0 lead.
The Knights tied the game 3-3 in the bottom of the second. Senior David Valenta was hit by a pitch, freshman Devon Strange walked, and senior Dalton Pait smacked a single to center field. Junior Logan West belted a single to right that scored Valenta and Strange. Senior Jeremy Pait roped a single to left that scored Derrick Long, the courtesy runner for Jeremy Pait.
Sophomore Lefrederick Wooten was hit by a pitch to start the Eagle third but was retired on Hollingsworth’s fielder’s choice. Sophomore Zach Meares swatted a double down the right field line, and Barber’s infield hit plated Jay McKoy, the runner for Hollingsworth. Scott forced Barber at second, and Tatum yanked a single to left that scored Meares. Josh McKoy drilled a liner to center that was misjudged into a 3-run inside-the-park home run that scored Scott and Tatum for an 8-3 lead.
Hollingsworth led off the East Bladen fourth with a single. Courtesy runner Jay McKoy stole second base and raced home when Meares raked a single to left. Meares advanced on an error and dashed home on a passed ball. Scott smashed a double to left, Tatum was hit by a pitch, and Josh McKoy walked. After Scott was forced at the plate, Shy Pone reached base on an error that scored Tatum and Josh McKoy to pad the lead to 12-3.
Hollingsworth was hit by a pitch to start the Eagle fifth. Meares ripped a single to left, and Barber bounced a high hop single to third that scored Jay McKoy, the runner for Hollingsworth. Scott knocked in Meares and Barber with a single to left that boosted the lead to 15-3.
Meares batted 3-for-4 with a double and three runs scored to lead the Eagle hitters. Scott finished 2-for-3 at the plate with a double, two runs batted in and two runs scored. Tatum batted 2-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored. Hollingsworth was 2-for-3 at the plate with a run scored.
Josh McKoy slugged the home run, drove in four runs and scored two. Barber added a single, drove in two runs and scored twice. Jay McKoy scored three runs.
Senior Pierce Melvin pitched a 7-hitter, struck out seven, walked three and allowed three runs to pick up the win.
For the Knights, West batted 2-for-3 with two RBI’s and a run scored. Jeremy Pait finished 2-for-3 at the plate with an RBI. Dalton Pait also batted 2-for-3. Junior Braylon Williamson added a single. Valenta, Long and Strange scored one run each.
Junior Logan Bryant pitched the first four innings for the Knights and allowed 12 runs – five earned – on 10 hits and three walks while striking out one. West pitched the fifth inning and gave up three runs on four hits while striking out two.
The Knights, who finished 5-13 in league play, lost an earlier game Saturday to Whiteville 9-2.
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