ROWLAND – Senior lefthander Ty Watkins pitched a 4-hitter and batted 3-4 with a pair of doubles Friday night to lead East Bladen to an 8-1 Three Rivers Conference baseball victory over South Robeson.
Watkins struck out five, walked two and was within one out of the complete game shutout when pinch-hitter Darius Brown cracked a 2-out single in the seventh inning to drive in the only Mustang run.
Junior Shy Pone blasted a lead-off home run in the Eagle second inning. One-out later Watkins hammered a double, and senior Quinton Bedsole knocked in the second Eagle run with a single.
The Eagles pulled away with 3 runs in the fifth inning. Senior Sincere Smith drew a lead-off walk and stole his way around the bases including a steal of home for the run.
Sophmore catcher Gabe Barber walked, and his courtesy runner stole second and eventually darted home on a passed ball. Pone smacked a single and stole a couple of bases including a steal of home for the 5-0 lead.
Smith slammed a 2-out double in the sixth inning, and junior Greyson Heustess drove him in with a double to pad the lead to 6-0.
Pone drew a lead-off walk in the Eagle seventh inning, and Watkins pounded a double to drive him in. Junior Holden Clark smacked a single to drive in the final East Bladen run.
Pone batted 2-3 with the home run and 3 runs scored. Heustess finished 2-4 at the plate with a double, a triple and a run batted in. Bedsole batted 2-4 with an rbi, Smith had the double and 2 runs scored and Clark added the rbi single.
Jarurias Davis batted 2-3 to lead the Mustang hitters. Jeremiah Lowery singled and scored the only South Robeson run. Zack Carter started on the mound for the Mustangs.
Coach Russell Priest’s Eagles improved to 2-5 with the win and will travel to rival West Bladen Monday night.
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