03/28/2024
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ELIZABETHTOWN – East Bladen was leading East Columbus 8-2 Tuesday night when their Three Rivers Conference baseball game was stopped by lightning then rain.

The game is expected to be completed on April 27 when the two teams are scheduled to play at East Columbus. The Gators had two runners on base with no outs in the top of the fifth inning when the game was halted.

The Eagles exploded for six runs in the second inning. Senior Ty Watkins ripped a lead-off single to rightfield, junior Spencer Scott walked and senior Sincere Smith was hit by a pitch to load the bases.

Junior Greyson Heustess reached base on an error as Watkins scored. Senior Xavier Wooten lined a double down the leftfield line that drove in Scott and Smith. After junior Pierce Melvin was hit by a pitch, sophmore Gabe Barber drew a walk that forced home Heustess.

Watkins laced a double to left-centerfield that scored Wooten and Melvin for a 6-0 lead.

Junior Dan Tatum smacked a lead-off single to centerfield in the third inning. Tatum stole second base, advanced on a fielder’s choice and scored as Wooten reached base on an error and pushed the lead to 7-0.

Melvin reached base on an error to start the Eagle fourth. Barber bounced a single through the left side. Junior Holden Clark belted a run-scoring single to centerfield that padded the lead to 8-0.

The Gators sandwiched two infield hits around a hit batsman to load the bases in the fifth inning ahead of senior Kenji Bowen’s 2-run single. A lightning bolt ended play at that point.

Melvin pitched 4-plus innings for the Eagles, striking out seven and allowed 2 runs on 5 hits, a walk and a hit batter.

East Bladen is scheduled to host Lumberton Wednesday at 6:30, but that will be subject to the field condition after Tuesday night’s heavy rain.

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