By John Clark
BLADENBORO – After the two basketball classics that West Bladen and East Bladen played against each other this season, who could have thought that baseball was going to continue the trend.
Tuesday night at ‘The Castle’ East Bladen had the tying and go-ahead runs in scoring position when Knight sophomore Brady Durden recorded the final strikeout for a 5-4 Knights victory. In other words, the outcome hung in the balance until the final pitch.
Sophomore starting pitcher Garrett Dunham carried a 5-2 lead into the 7th inning, but Eagle senior Zamar Lewis launched a towering drive into the right field corner for a triple then scooted home on a wild pitch. Junior Jake Futrell and senior Garrison Tatum both walked.
Durden relieved Dunham and struck out a batter, before senior Marlan Davis’ fielder’s choice plated J’marius Smith, the pinch runner for Futrell. Durden then retired the final batter to pick up the save.
“Unbelievable! What a game,” said Knight Coach Wade Pait. “Garrett has been chomping at the bit wanting to start. We had been using him to close earlier in the year, but he really wanted this one. We hoped he could finish, but Brady came in and did his job.”
Dunham pitched 6-plus innings and allowed 4 runs on 3 hits and 3 walks while striking out six. Durden worked a scoreless, hitless inning of relief with 2 strike-outs and 1 walk.
Senior Ty Mathis pitched the 1st 4 innings for East and allowed 5 runs — 3 earned — on 3 hits and 3 walks while striking out 7. Senior Coleman Tatum allowed a hit and a walk in his 2 scoreless innings of relief and struck out 2.
Dunham drew a 2-out walk in the West 1st inning, and sophomore Cade Allen blasted a long fly to center field that sailed over the fielder’s glove and scored Dunham.
Knight senior Hunter Smith hammered a triple over the center fielder’s head in the 2nd inning and scored on senior Kaden Revels’ fielder’s choice to bump the lead to 2-0.
In the West 3rd inning, sophomore Hezekiah Adams walked, advanced on a wild pitch and a passed ball then scored when Dunham raked a single to left field that grew the lead to 3-0.
Mathis drew a 2-out walk in the East 4th inning, and Lewis walloped a 2-run homer over the left field fence that scored Darius Williamson, the courtesy runner for Mathis, and sliced the Knight lead to 3-2.
The Knights answered in the home fourth. Smith walked, advanced on an error and scored when Durden drilled a double into the left field corner. Durden advanced on junior Andre Moore’s fielder’s choice and dashed home on a wild pitch to push the lead back to 5-2.
Dunham batted 2-for-2 with a run scored and an RBI. Hunter Smith tripled and scored 2 runs. Durden slammed the RBI double and scored a run. Adams scored a run, and Revels had an RBI.
Lewis batted 2-for-3 with a home run, a triple, 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored to lead the Eagle hitters. Davis singled and had 1 RBI. J’marius Smith and Williamson scored runs.
The Knights improved to 2-1 in the SAC-7 and 9-3 overall. East Bladen is now 2-3 in league play and 4-7 overall. The two teams will play again Friday night on Russell Priest Field at East Bladen.
East Bladen 000 200 2 — 4-3-2
West Bladen 111 200 x — 5-4-0
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