FAETTEVILLE – Terry Sanford scored 5 runs in the bottom of the 7th inning to overcome a 10-6 East Bladen lead and claim an 11-10 non-conference victory over the Eagles Friday night.
Two hit batters, a ground out and 2 passed balls produced the 1st Bulldog run in the 7th inning. Barnes Smith singled and Brent Smith’s sacrifice fly scored Holden Reaves. Brady Gore drove in Barnes Smith with a single that closed the gap to 10-9. Cameron Humphrey singled, and an error on Andrew Kittinger’s grounder brought home Gore and Humphrey with the tying and winning runs.
Senior Jacob Priest started on the mound for the Eagles and pitched 3.2 innings allowing 5 runs on 5 hits while striking out one and walking 5. Senior Grayson Clark worked 3 innings of relief and gave up 6 runs – 3 earned – on 4 hits and a walk.
Senior Cason Puczylowski, the 4th Bulldog pitcher of the night, picked up the win with a scoreless inning of relief.
Junior Ethan Johnson drew a leadoff walk in the East Bladen 1st inning, and senior Brady Hollingsworth drove in Johnson with a single. Priest, sophomore Evan Pait and junior Raymond Autry drew walks that forced home Hollingsworth. Seniors Drew Sholar and Rasean McKoy were hit by pitches to force home courtesy runner Tyler Hill and Pait and give the Eagles a 4-0 lead.
Two walks, 4 hit batsmen and Gore’s single produced 4 Bulldog runs in the home half of the 1st inning and tied the score 4-4.
Pait and Autry started the Eagle 3rd inning with singles. Ethan Johnson knocked in Pait and courtesy runner Hill with a single to put East Bladen on top 6-4.
Senior Lefrederick Wooten hammered a double to begin the Eagle 4th inning, and Hollingsworth walloped a home run to leftfield to stretch the East Bladen lead to 8-4.
Nathan Brown led off the Terry Sanford 4th inning with a solo home run that trimmed the Eagle lead to 8-5.
McKoy raked a single to start the Eagle 5th inning, and Ethan Johnson lined a single. Senior Zach Meares smashed a double that scored McKoy and Johnson that padded the lead to 10-5.
A hit batter, a passed ball and a wild pitch produced a run that whittled the East Bladen lead to 10-6 in the 6th inning.
Hollingsworth batted 2-for-3 with a home run, 3 runs batted in and 2 runs scored to lead the Eagle hitters. Ethan Johnson finished 2-for-3 at the plate with 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored. Meares was 2-for-5 at the plate with a double and 2 RBIs. Wooten doubled and scored a run.
Pait, Tyler Johnson, Autry and McKoy connected for 1 hit each. Hill and Pait scored 2 runs each and McKoy scored 1 run. Autry, Sholar and McKoy drove in one run each.
Gore batted 2-for-3 with 2 RBIs and 2 scored. Barnes Smith finished 2-for-3 at the plate and scored 3 runs. Cameron Seagroves was 2-for-3 with an RBI. Brown slugged a home run and had 2 RBIs.
The Eagles, now 1-2, will host South Columbus Tuesday night.
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