Members of the Bladen County 12-and-Under softball team are: Front Row (Left-Right): Emmee Ward, Mary Frances Sutton, Martha Simmons, Lena Trinidad, Megan Pait, Marlie Walters, Brookee Singletary, Reagan Moore, Molly Pait, Karly Ross, Violet Allen, Marlene Crabtree.
Back Row (L-R): Coaches Jamie Singletary, Mackie Singletary, Heather Pait.
TARBORO – Moore County scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to defeat Bladen County 11-10 on Saturday night in the winner’s bracket final of the Statewide Activities Committee State 12U Softball Tournament at Indian Lake Sports Complex.
Moore County’s rally came after Martha Simmons had cracked a three-run inside-the-park home run in the top of the fifth that gave Bladen County a 10-8 advantage.
The loss was the first in three games for Bladen County in the six-team double-elimination tournament. Bladen County is scheduled to play Sunday at 10 a.m. in the semifinals against an opponent to be determined. The semifinal winner will have to beat Moore County twice to win the title.
Bladen County opened with a 23-14 win against Randolph County, then rallied to beat Nash County 8-7.
MOORE COUNTY 11, BLADEN COUNTY 10
Simmons drove in four runs for Bladen County. Mary Francis Sutton and Megan Pait each had two hits to lead Bladen County’s eight-hit attack that also used eight walks and four errors to score runs. Lena Trinidad, Marlie Walters and Brookee Singletary each had a hit.
Sutton, Megan Pait, Walters and Simmons each scored two runs. Trinidad and Violet Allen each crossed the plate once.
Emmee Ward pitched her third consecutive game for Bladen. She allowed 10 hits, struck out three and didn’t walk a batter.
Bladen County bolted to a 5-0 lead in its first at-bat. Sutton led off with a bunt single and later stole home. Consecutive catcher’s interference calls with the bases loaded scored Sutton and Walters. Ward’s bases-loaded walked forced home Allen. Megan Pait walked and later scored when Sutton reached on catcher’s interference. The final run came when Sutton reached on a fielder’s choice.
Bladen County made it 7-2 in the top of the third on Trinidad’s single to center that scored Sutton, who had singled, and an error on Megan Pait’s grounder that scored Trinidad.
Moore County scored six in the bottom of the third for an 8-7 advantage.
After a scoreless fourth inning, each team scored three times in the fifth.
BLADEN COUNTY 8, NASH COUNTY 7
Sutton was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded that forced home the winning run as Bladen County rallied to score three in the bottom of the fifth.
Bladen County rallied from a 7-1 deficit after three innings in advancing into the winner’s bracket final.
Bladen County scored four runs in the fourth to cut the deficit to 7-5. After an out to start the inning, Simmons singled and Singletary was hit by a pitch. Ward reached on a fielder’s choice bunt with all runners safe.
Simmons stole home for the first Bladen run in the fourth. Singletary scored on Marlene Crabtree’s ground out for the second out. Allen, the courtesy runner for Ward, stole home ahead of Sutton reaching on an error. Trinidad followed with a double that advanced Sutton to third. Sutton then stole home to pull Bladen within two runs.
Nash County was retired in the top of the fifth with shortstop Trinidad making two plays.
In the fifth, Walters led off with a walk, Molly Pait was hit by a pitch and Simmons walked to load the bases.
After a strikeout, walks to Ward and Crabtree tied it at 7-all. Sutton then was hit by a pitch on a full count to force home Ward with the winning run.
Trinidad was 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles to lead Bladen County at the plate. Megan Pait had a triple. Simmons and Singletary each had one hit. Crabtree drove home two runs while Sutton, Walters and Ward each got an RBI. Sutton and Simmons each scored twice while Walters, Molly Pait, Singletary and Allen each scored a run.
Ward went the distance in the circle. She allowed seven hits and one earned run with four strikeouts and five walks.
BLADEN COUNTY 23, RANDOLPH COUNTY 14
The game lasted only three innings and was called because of the time limit, but the teams packed in a lot of scoring.
Bladen County used 17 walks, seven hits and a remarkable 34 stolen bases in running past Randolph County in a first-round game.
Sutton had seven stolen bases, Trinidad had six, Simmons had five, Singletary and Megan Pait had four, Ward had three, Allen and Crabtree each had two and Ward added one.
Simmons was 2-for-3 with a grand slam and three runs scored. Walters was 1-for-2 with a home runs, 2 RBIs and four runs scored. Ward has 1-for-2 with a homer, three runs scored and four RBIs.
Sutton, Molly Pait and Crabtree each had a hit.
Crabtree also had three RBIs while Molly Pait drove home a run.
Trinidad, Singletary and Megan Pait each scored three times. Sutton scored twice. Allen and Molly Pait scored once.
Ward pitched for Bladen County. She struck out two, walked six and allowed five hits.
Randolph County scored nine in the bottom of the first for a 9-3 lead, then held an 11-10 lead after two innings.
Bladen County erupted for 13 runs in the third inning. Simmons’ grand slam gave Bladen County a 21-11 lead. Bladen County also stole home four times in the inning with Sutton doing it twice and Simmons and Crabtree once apiece.
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