ELIZABETHTOWN –Junior Pierce Melvin walloped a bases-loaded triple that snapped a 2-2 tie and lifted East Bladen to a 5-3 Three Rivers Conference baseball victory over West Bladen Friday night.
Junior Greyson Heustess drew a walk to begin the Eagle third inning but was forced out at second base by senior Xavier Wooten. One out later junior Shy Pone raked a single to right field, and freshman Brady Hollingsworth walked.
Melvin ripped a drive to left-centerfield that scored Wooten, Pone and Dan Tatum, the courtesy runner for Hollingsworth, and vaulted the Eagles ahead 5-2.
It was the seventh straight win for Coach Russell Priest’s Eagles who now must wait for the NCHSAA baseball pairings to be released this weekend to find out if they have earned a play-off berth.
“I think we are in,” said Coach Priest. “We should be.” East Bladen closed the season with 7 straight wins to finish 10-8 in the TRC and 11-10 overall.
West Bladen jumped in front with a pair of first inning runs. Sophmores Dawson Bryan and Logan West drew walks, and senior Scott Bowen hammered a double to right-centerfield that scored Bryan.
West was thrown out at the plate on sophmore Jake Butler’s fly to center, but Shaun Oxendine, the courtesy runner for Bowen, dashed home on a wild pitch.
East Bladen answered with a run in the first. Heustess yanked a single to leftfield and raced home on a throwing error as sophmore Gabe Barber reached base.
The Eagles tied the game 2-2 in the second. Melvin legged out an infield hit, and freshman Zach Meares launched a double to rightfield that scored Josh McKoy, the courtesy runner for Melvin.
After East took the 5-2 lead, senior Kaleb Heup reached base on an error in the Knight fourth inning, and Bryan slammed a double to left-centerfield that scored Heup and trimmed the margin to 5-3.
Both teams missed out on numerous scoring opportunities. The Knights left the bases-loaded in the fifth inning and stranded ten runners in the game. East Bladen left the bases-loaded in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings and totaled 12 runners left on base in the game.
Melvin batted 2-2 with the triple and 3 runs batted in to lead the Eagle hitters. Meares doubled home a run, and Heustess, Pone and Freddie Wooten added one hit each. Heustess, Xavier Wooten, Pone, Tatum and McKoy scored one run each.
Bowen batted 2-4 with a double and an rbi. Bryan doubled home a run and scored one. West, Butler, Bryant and junior Jeremy Pait added one hit each. Heup and Oxendine scored runs for the Knights.
Melvin pitched 4.2 innings and allowed 3 runs – 2 earned, on 7 walks and 4 hits while striking out four. Freddie Wooten relieved in the fifth and worked 2.1 scoreless innings giving up 3 hits and no walks, while striking out one.
Bowen started and worked 4 innings on the mound for the Knights, giving up 5 runs – 3 earned – on 5 hits and 3 walks while striking out three. West pitched the final 2 scoreless innings and allowed 3 walks, a hit and a hit batter while striking out four.
Two East Bladen seniors, Sincere Smith and Xavier Wooten, were honored in pre-game ceremonies on Senior Night.
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