RED SPRINGS – Junior Garrison Carr and senior Alex Brisson combined on a 3-hitter Wednesday night as West Bladen held off Red Springs 4-3 in Southeastern Athletic Conference baseball action.
Carr pitched 5-plus innings and allowed 3 runs – 1 earned- on 3 hits while striking out 3 to pick up the win. Brisson closed out the game with 2 scoreless, hitless innings of relief, striking out 4 batters.
With the Knights up 4-2, senior Lenny Berrios led off the Red Devil 6th inning with a double. Brisson relieved Carr and retired the next 2 batters on ground balls as Berrios scored to whittle the lead to 4-3. Brisson struck out Charles Lowery to end the 6th inning then struck out the side in the 7th to earn the save.
The Red Devils bunched 2 singles and 2 errors to grab a 2-0 lead in the 3rd inning. Nathan Barefield singled and scored, and Berrios reached on an error and scored on another error.
Junior Hunter Smith lined a single to right to begin the Knight 4th inning. Senior Brycen Blackmon followed with a single to the left side. Two passed balls brought home Smith and sent Blackmon to 3rd. Junior Hunter Elks’ fielder’s choice scored Blackmon with the tying run.
Senior Alex Strange drew a 2-out walk in the Knight 5th inning then stole 2nd base and dashed to 3rd on a wild pitch. Blackmon cracked a single to shortstop that scored Alex Strange with the go-ahead run.
Brisson was hit by a pitch with 2 out in the West 6th inning then moved to 2nd base on a balk. Senior Josh Russ raked a single past shortstop to advance Brisson to 3rd. Brisson then stole home to pad the Knight lead to 4-2.
Blackmon batted 3-for-4 with a run batted in and a run scored to lead the Knight hitters. Smith, Russ and Devon Strange added 1 hit each. Elks had 1 RBI, and Smith, Brisson and Alex Strange scored runs.
Senior Tim Hammonds pitched 6 innings and gave up 4 runs – 2 earned – for Red Springs. Berrios pitched the final inning.
Coach John Ammons’ Knights capture their 1st conference win and are now 5-6 overall. West Bladen will host Red Springs Friday night at 6:30.
West Bladen 000 211 0 – 4-6-3
Red Springs 002 001 0 – 3-3-1
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