East Bladen returns to the NCHSAA Class 2-A Baseball Play-offs tonight (Wednesday) at 7:00 as Coach Russell Priest’s Eagles make the 130-mile trip up the coast to battle the No. 3 seeded Croatan Cougars.
Coach Sean Coley’s Cougars won the East Central Conference with a 9-1 league record. Croatan’s only losses were at North Brunswick in their league opener and to Pittsboro Northwood during the Easter break.
Junior right-hander Alex Coates anchors the East Bladen pitching staff. Coates pitched a perfect game at Wallace-Rose Hill on April 13, and also recorded a key victory at home over Wallace last Tuesday.
Freshmen Sincere Smith and Xavier Wooten combined to pitch the Eagles to a 6-5 victory over Heide Trask last Monday.
Sophomore catcher Kyle Tatum walloped a trio of triples in 3 games last week. Senior second-baseman Colby Hester batted 3-3 in the win over Wallace. Wooten slugged triples against Trask and Wallace.
Junior center-fielder Nikita Owens batted 2-3 in the win over Trask, and senior shortstop Matthew Massengill connected for 2 hits in Thursday’s game at West Bladen.
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