BLADENBORO – Junior Marlan Davis’ 2-run double keyed a 9-run, 3rd inning that carried East Bladen to a 16-10 Southeastern Athletic Conference baseball victory over West Bladen Friday night.
The Eagles held a slim 4-3 lead when junior Zamar Lewis walked, and senior Raymond Autry rapped a single to center field. Lewis galloped home on an error, before junior Evan Pait walked. Autry dashed home on a wild pitch, and junior Coleman Tatum walked.
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Photos by Kenneth Armstrong
Alex Brisson relieved Knight starter Josh Russ on the mound, and courtesy runner A. Williamson ran for Coleman Tatum. Junior Weston Hatcher reached base on an error, before Davis blasted his 2-run double to deep center field that scored Pait and Williamson to pad the lead to 8-3.
Senior Ethan Johnson was hit by a pitch, and junior Garrison Tatum walked to force home Hatcher. Lewis lined a single to left that scored Davis and Ethan Johnson. Ahmad Powell, the courtesy runner for Garrison Tatum, darted home on a wild pitch, Autry who reached on a fielder’s choice scooted home on a passed ball for a 13-3 East lead.
Senior Brycen Blackmon clobbered a triple to right field in the West half of the 3rd and scored when Brisson drilled a single to center to whittle the margin to 13-4.
Junior Bryce Fuller smoked a single to center field to begin the Knight 4th inning. Junior Hunter Smith was hit by a pitch, and senior Devon Strange crushed a triple to deep right field that scored Fuller and Smith. Senior Bryley Williams poled a sacrifice fly center that scored Devon Strange and trimmed the margin to13-7.
East Bladen answered with 2 runs in the top of the 5th inning. Garrison Tatum walloped a triple to deep left, and Lewis walked. Autry reached base on an infield hit that scored Powell, the courtesy runner for Garrison Tatum. Hatcher knocked in Lewis with a single to left that pushed the lead to 15-7.
Sophomore Jahmar Richardson walked to start the Knight 5th inning, junior Kaden Revels swatted a single to left, and Fuller was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Smith pounded a triple to center field that scored Richardson, Revels and Fuller and closed the gap to 15-10.
Autry relieved Eagle starter Coleman Tatum and retired 7 of the 8 batters that he faced to preserve the victory. Autry allowed 2 hits and a walk while working a scoreless 2.2 innings and striking out two. Coleman Tatum allowed 10 runs – 8 earned – on 7 hits and 4 walks while striking out 7 in his 4.1 innings on the hill to pick up the victory.
Lewis slugged a triple to deep center field to start the East 7th inning, and Autry drove him in with a single to push the final margin to 16-10.
Lewis batted a perfect 3-for-3 with a double and a triple, scored 4 runs and had 3 runs batted in to lead the East hitters. Autry finished 3-for-5 at the plate with 2 runs scored and 2 RBIs. Davis batted 2-for-3 with a double, 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored. Pait turned in a 2-for-4 game with 2 RBIs and a run scored. Garrison Tatum tripled home a run, and Hatcher singled home a run and scored a run.
Devon Strange batted 2-for-2 with a triple, 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored to lead the Knights. Brisson was 2-for-4 with 2 RBIs. Blackmon finished 2-for-4 at the plate with a triple, an RBI and 2 runs scored. Smith slammed the 3-run triple and scored a run. Fuller singled and scored twice, and Revels singled and scored a run.
Russ pitched the first 2 innings and allowed 8 runs – 7 earned – on 4 hits and 4 walks while striking out five. Brisson worked 5 innings of relief and gave up 8 runs – 5 earned – on 8 hits and 2 walks while striking out seven.
Tyler Johnson was hit by a pitch to start the game and Garrison Tatum walked. Lewis launched a double that played tricks in the wind and scored Tyler Johnson. Pait scorched a single through the middle that scored Powell, the courtesy runner for Tatum, and Lewis and staked the Eagles to a 3-0 lead.
Devon Strange lashed a single to center in the West half of the first. Bryley Williams walked, and Blackmon raked a single to left that scored Devon Strange. Brisson reached on an error that scored Williams, and Blackmon scooted home on a passed ball to tie the game 3-3.
Davis smacked a single off the pitcher, stole 2 bases and scampered home on a passed ball to vault the Eagles ahead 4-3 in the top of the 2nd inning.
“That’s a good team over there,” said Eagle Coach Grant Pait about the Knights. “We couldn’t put them away. They just kept fighting and wouldn’t quit. We have just got to get some people healthy.”
East Bladen, now 2-0 in league play and 6-0 overall, will host Whiteville Tuesday night. West Bladen, now 0-2 in SAC-7 and 4-4 overall, will entertain Fairmont Tuesday night.
East Bladen 319 020 1 -16-12-1
West Bladen 301 330 0 -10- 9 -3
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