CERRO GORDO – Sophomore Davion Lewis scored the deciding run on a wild pitch in the 6th inning that lifted East Bladen to a 4-3 Waccamaw Conference baseball victory over West Columbus Thursday night.
Coach Grant Pait’s Eagles improved to 8-2 in Waccamaw play and 10-8 overall and mathematically clinched the Waccamaw’s top Class 1A playoff spot. East Bladen will visit Hobbton Monday at 6 p.m. for a non-conference game.
Lewis reached base on an error to start the 6th inning and advanced on fielder’s choices by senior Parker Greene and freshman Jayce Hatcher, before racing home on the wild pitch.
Senior Britt Sasser started on the mound for the Eagles and pitched 4 innings allowing 3 runs – 2 earned – on 3 hits and a walk. Hatcher worked 2 scoreless innings of 2-hit relief, striking out 3 and walking 1. Lewis pitched around 2 errors and a walk in the 7th inning to record the save, and struck out 2 batters including Lamarriez Brown with the bases loaded to end the game.
Stephen Buffkin walked, and Ryder Haynes drove him in with a single in the Viking 1st inning. Ethan Matheson cracked a single, and Haynes scored on a wild pitch for a 2-0 West lead.
Sasser drew a 2-out walk in the Eagle 2nd inning, and senior Darius Williamson hammered a double to left that brought home Tyler Johnson, the courtesy runner for Sasser, and trimmed the Viking lead to 2-1.
Natoren Corbett walked to begin the East 3rd inning, and Carson Gooden ripped a single to left field. Jake Futrell lined a single to right, and Lewis smoked a single through the middle that scored Corbett and Gooden and vaulted the Eagles in front 3-2.
Buffkin singled to start the Viking 3rd, advanced on an error and Haynes’ sacrifice bunt before scoring on Matheson’s fielder’s choice to tie the game 3-3.
Williamson slammed the run-scoring double to lead the East hitters. Gooden, Sasser, Lewis, Futrell and senior D. A. Smith contributed 1 single each. Lewis drove in 2 runs, and Corbett, Gooden, Lewis and Johnson scored 1 run each.
Matheson batted 2-for-4 with a run batted in for the Vikings. Skylar McNair, Buffkin and Haynes collected 1 hit each. Haynes had an RBI. Buffkin scored twice and Haynes scored 1 run.
Haynes pitched a complete game 6-hitter for West Columbus and allowed 4 runs – 3 earned – on 6 hits and 4 walks while striking out 6.
East Bladen 012 001 0 — 4-6-5
West Columbus 201 000 0 — 3-5-1
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