ELIZABETHTOWN – Junior Greyson Heustess batted 3-4 and threw out a potential tying run at the plate to end the game as East Bladen held on for a 7-6 Three Rivers Conference baseball victory over Red Springs Thursday night.
Two walks and Darren Bowen’s 2-run single trimmed a 7-4 East Bladen lead to 7-6 with one out in the seventh inning. Centerfielder Heustess snagged Jaylen Mack’s fly ball for the second out then fired a strike to freshman catcher Brady Hollingsworth who tagged out Bowen to end the game.
Freshman Freddie Wooten closed out the game on the mound for the Eagles to preserve the victory for starting pitcher Pierce Melvin who worked into the seventh inning and struck out ten batters while allowing 5 runs – 3 earned – on 5 hits and 4 walks.
Bowen’s run-scoring double keyed a 2-run Red Devil first inning, and Red Springs tacked on a run in the second for a 3-0 lead.
East Bladen rallied to within 3-2 in the home second. Sophmore Gabe Barber led off with a single, and junior Shy Pone walked. Melvin knocked in Barber with a single. Hollingsworth belted a single, but Pone was thrown out at the plate. Freddie Wooten’s fielder’s choice plated Melvin.
Senior Sincere Smith walked to begin the Eagle third, and Heustess smacked a single. Xavier Wooten forced Smith at third base, but Barber slammed a double that scored Heustess. Pone drove in Xavier Wooten with a single that edged East Bladen ahead 4-3.
Heustess laced a lead-off single in the fifth inning and circled the bases on a pair of Red Devil errors to pad the Eagle lead to 5-3. A pair of East Bladen errors produced an unearned Red Springs run in the sixth and whittled the margin to 5-4.
Freshman Zach Meares hammered a double with one out in the Eagle sixth. Heustess delivered a 2-out single that scored Meares. Heustess advanced on a passed ball and raced home when Xavier Wooten smashed a single.
Melvin batted 2-3 with a run batted in and a run scored. Barber finished with a 2-3 game that included a double, a run scored and an rbi. Xavier Wooten batted 2-4 with a run scored and an rbi.
Heustess scored 3 runs and drove in one. Meares doubled and scored a run. Freddie Wooten, Hollingsworth and Pone connected for one hit each. Pone and Freddie Wooten drove in a run each.
Bowen batted 2-4 with a double and 3 rbi’s to lead the Red Devil hitters.
Coach Russell Priest’s Eagles will travel to West Columbus Tuesday night.
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