03/28/2024
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BLADENBORO – Sophomore Aaron Mitchell knocked in 5 runs with 3 hits and East Columbus built a 9-0 lead en route to an 18-7 non-conference baseball victory over West Bladen.

Mitchell’s 2-run double keyed a 3-run 1st inning for the Gators. The Gators used 4 walks and a hit batter to push the lead to 5-0 in the 2nd inning. East Columbus capitalized on a trio of Knight errors and 2 hits to stretch the lead to 9-0 in the 3rd inning.

Junior Kaiden Stanley led off the Knight 3rd inning with a walk, and juniors Devon Strange and Alex Brisson reached on errors to load the bases. After a pickoff removed one runner, sophomore Hunter Smith walked to reload the bases. Junior Elijah Crabtree, the courtesy runner for Stanley, darted home on a passed ball. Junior Bryley Williams lined a single that scored Strange and trimmed the East lead to 9-2.

Senior Coltin Simmons doubled home a Gator run in the 4th inning then sprinted home on a passed ball to boost the lead to 11-2.

Williams raked a single to left in the Knight 5th inning, Sophomore Michael Young reached base on an error, and senior Kendall Johnson walked to load the bases. Williams dashed home on a wild pitch, and Young scampered home on a passed ball to trim the margin to 11-4.

Strange drew a 1-out walk in the West 6th inning, and Brisson reached base on an error. Smith drilled a triple to rightfield that brought home Strange and Brisson. Williams ripped a single to left that plated Smith and sliced the Gator lead to 11-7.

The Gators pounded out 6 hits and scored 7 runs in the top of the 7th to pull away to the final margin of 18-7. Seniors Landyn Potter, J. T. Junious and Elijah Bunting combined to pitch the victory for East Columbus. Bunting batted 2-for-3, scored 5 runs and drove in two.

Williams finished 3-for-4 at the plate with 2 runs batted in and a run scored to lead the Knights. Smith hammered the 2-run triple and scored a run. Junior Brycen Blackmon had the other West Bladen hit. Strange scored 2 runs, and Crabtree, Brisson, Young scored one run each.

Smith started on the mound for the Knights and was followed by Young, Stanley, junior Josh Russ, Blackmon, Williams and Brisson. Stanley struck out 5 batters and allowed only 2 runs in his 3.2 innings on the hill.

The Knights will host West Columbus Tuesday night at 7 p.m.

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