By John Clark
ELIZABETHTOWN – Senior Jake Futrell pitched a 3-hitter and struck out 9 batters in 6 innings Tuesday night to lead East Bladen to a 7-1 non-conference baseball victory over West Bladen. Britt Sasser hurled a scoreless inning of 1-hit relief and struck out 1 to end the game.
The two teams are slated to play again Friday night at West Bladen. The Knights, now 0-2, are scheduled to host East Columbus Wednesday night. East Bladen improved to 1-2 with the win.
“Jake was our secret weapon,” said Eagle Coach Grant Pait. “They didn’t see him last year. He pitched his tail off. Didn’t want to come out either. We hadn’t planned to pitch him that long, but you would have had to drag him off the mound.”
The Knight scored their only run in the 3rd inning. Senior Jahmar Richardson walked and advanced on a wild pitch. Richardson was running on the pitch and scored when junior Garrett Dunham knocked him in with a single to center field. Sophomore Hunter Hester smacked a single to center, but a force-out and a strike-out ended the threat.
Down 1-0 the Eagles rallied with 5 runs in the bottom of the inning. Cole Butler reached base on a passed 3rd strike, Darius Williamson slapped a single to right field and Davion Lewis walked. Futrell was hit by a pitch that forced home Butler, and Kalec Autry and Parker Greene both drew walks to force home Williamson and Lewis.
Freshman Ashton Davis relieved Dunham on the mound for the Knights, and D. A. Smith belted a single to right field that scored Andrew Musclewhite, the courtesy runner for Futrell. One out later, a walk to freshman Jayce Hatcher forced home Autry to pad the East lead to 5-1.
Lewis drew a lead-off walk in the Eagle 4th, stole 2nd base and went to 3rd on Futrell’s fielder’s choice. Greene walked and his courtesy runner, Lee Barnes, stole 2nd base. Lewis raced for the plate on the back end of the double steal and scored when the ball got away for a 6-1 lead.
Hatcher yanked a single to left, and Butler cracked a single to right with 1 out in the East 5th inning. Lewis loaded the bases with a single to center. Aiden Russ relieved Davis on the mound for West, and Futrell was hit by a pitch again with the bases loaded to force home Hatcher and pad the lead to 7-1.
Williamson, Lewis, Smith, Tyler Johnson, Hatcher and Butler connected for 1 hit each for the Eagles. Lewis scored twice, and Williamson, Musclewhite, Autry, Hatcher and Butler scored 1 run each. Futrell had 2 runs batted in, and Autry, Greene, Smith and Hatcher had 1 RBI each.
“It clicked tonight,” continued Coach Pait. “Everything just clicked tonight. We played great defense with no errors. That is a good ball club we just beat. I am proud of my guys.”
Richardson walloped a triple and scored a run to lead the Knight hitters. Dunham, Hunter Hester and Cade Allen contributed one hit each, and Dunham drove in the West run.
Dunham worked 2 innings on the mound and allowed 5 runs – 4 earned – on 2 hits and 4 walks while striking out 4. Davis pitched 2.2 innings of relief and gave up 2 runs – 1 earned – on 4 hits and 3 walks while striking out 2. Aiden Russ worked the final 1.1 scoreless innings and struck out 1.
West Bladen 001 000 0 — 1-4-1
East Bladen 005 110 x — 7-6-1
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