ELIZABETHTOWN — Stevie Smith pitched a three-hitter with 12 strikeouts as Southeastern Athletic Conference leader Fairmont defeated East Bladen 10-3 on Friday night, taking advantage of five Eagles errors in the sixth inning to score seven runs and break open a tight game at Russell Priest Field.
For the game, East Bladen committed nine errors in losing its fourth straight game after opening the season with six consecutive victories. The Eagles are 2-2 in conference play and will host Red Springs on Tuesday in the first of two meetings against the Red Devils.
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Photos by Kenneth Armstrong
Smith used his curveball to keep the East Bladen hitters off balance throughout the game. The right-hander struck out two batters in first, second and sixth innings, and struck out three in the seventh to end the game. He threw only 87 pitches — 65 for strikes — in the complete game effort. He hit three batters, but didn’t walk anyone.
Fairmont is 6-0 in Southeastern play and 11-1 overall. The Golden Tornadoes beat East Bladen 6-2 on Tuesday.
The Golden Tornadoes took a 2-0 lead with a run in each of their first two at bats. In the first, Noah Parker singled, stole second and third, then scored on an error when Fairmont attempted a double steal with courtesy runner Josiah Williams after Smith had walked, bu the play at second base was mishandled. In the second, Ridge Walters blasted a triple to deep center and scored on a sacrifice bunt by NyNy Cromartie.
East Bladen tied it in its half of the second inning. Zamar Lewis was hit by a pitch and stole second. After an out, Raymond Autry singled to put runners on the corners. Autry stole second. Jake Futrell connected for a two-out single up the middle that tied it at 2-all.
The Eagles took a 3-2 lead in the fourth. Lewis, again, was hit by a pitch, stole second and third, then scored with a slide just under the catcher’s glove when Garrison Tatum was thrown out at first following a dropped third strike.
Fairmont left runners on second and third in the fifth inning before taking advantage of East Bladen’s porous defense in the sixth to open a 9-3 advantage. The Golden Tornadoes sent 11 batters to the plate in the sixth and had only one hit — a two-run single by Malachi Gales.
East Bladen right-hander Coleman Tatum pitched into the sixth inning. He was credited with five innings pitched and allowed three hits, six runs, two earned, struck out four and walked six. Britt Sasser allowed four runs on three hits with five strikeouts in two innings.
Futrell was 2-for-2 with the two-run single to lead the East Bladen offense. Autry had the other Eagles hit.
Gales was 2-for-4 with 3 RBIs and Cromartie was 2-for-2 with an RBI to lead Fairmont.
Fairmont 110 007 1 — 10-6-0
East Bladen 020 100 0 — 3-3-9
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