Members of the Bladen County team are: Zach Meares, Gabe Barber, Freddie Wooten, Raymond Autry, Dylan Fine, Jacob Priest, Tyler Hill, Drew Sholar, Brady Hollingsworth, Brandon Fine, Makhi Cromartie, K. J. Brown and Chase Starkloff. Coaches are Kendal Kelley and Les Hill.
WINNABOW – The Bladen County All-Stars won the Dixie Baseball Pre-Majors State Championship Wednesday with a 11-1 victory over Columbus County.
After losing a 7-6 decision to Columbus County earlier in the tournament, Bladen battled back to defeat North Granville 8-3 then shutout Columbus County 8-0 Tuesday to force Wednesday’s deciding game.
Championship Game
Bladen County exploded for ten runs in the first inning and rolled to an 11-1 victory over Columbus County in Wednesday’s championship game.
Zach Meares drew a lead-off walk in the first, and Gabe Barber raked a single to leftfield. Freddie Wooten drilled a double to deep leftfield that scored Meares and Barber. Raymond Autry clobbered a double to centerfield that scored Wooten.
Dylan Fine was hit by a pitch, and Tyler Hill walked. Drew Sholar swatted a single to rightfield that scored Autry and Dylan Fine. Brady Hollingsworth was hit by a pitch. Meares and Barber drew walks that forced home Sholar. Autry and Dylan Fine reached base on errors that scored Hollingsworth, Meares and Wooten.
Columbus scored their only run in the second inning, but Bladen answered with a run in the third. Gabe Barber pounded a double to left-centerfield and raced home when Autry reached base on an error.
Wooten pitched a complete-game 5-hitter, struck out three, hit 3 batters and walked one.
Barber batted 2-for-3 with a double, a run batted in and 3 runs scored. Wooten finished 2-for-3 at the plate with a double, 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored. Autry doubled and scored a run. Meares, Sholar and Hollingsworth added one hit each. Sholar had 2 RBIs. Meares scored twice, and Sholar, Hollingsworth and Dylan Fine scored one run each.
Tuesday’s Game
Zach Meares pitched a 6-hit shutout and struck out seven batters to lead Bladen County to an 8-0 victory over Columbus County Tuesday that forced a second championship game.
Gabe Barber walked and sprinted home with the first Bladen run as Raymond Autry reached base on an error in the first inning.
Drew Sholar beat out an infield hit in the second inning, and Brady Hollingsworth was hit by a pitch. Meares hammered a double that scored Sholar and Hollingsworth for a 3-0 Bladen lead.
Freddie Wooten walloped a home run to begin the Bladen third inning. Dylan Fine slammed a double, advanced on Jacob Priest’s sacrifice and scored on a balk as the lead grew to 5-0.
Barber started the Bladen fifth with an infield hit, and Wooten reached base on an error. Autry reached base on a fielder’s choice that retired Barber. Wooten and Autry scored as Dylan Fine reached base on an error to boost the lead to 7-0.
Barber walked with 2 out in the sixth, and Wooten beat out an infield hit. Barber scored the final Bladen County run.
Wooten batted 2-for-4 with the home run to lead the Bladen hitters. Meares and Dylan Fine slugged doubles, and Barber and Sholar connected for one hit each. Barber and Wooten scored 2 runs each. Autry, Dylan Fine, Sholar and Hollingsworth scored one run each. Meares drove in 2 runs, and Dylan Fine and Wooten drove in runs.
Bladen County 8, North Granville 3
Freddie Wooten blasted a 3-run home run as Bladen County defeated North Granville 8-3 Monday to advance to the first championship game.
Bladen County grabbed a 2-0 lead in the second inning. Jacob Priest ripped a double, and Tyler Hill walked. Both Priest and Hill scored as Zach Meares reached base on an error.
The lead was trimmed to 2-1 in the third, but Bladen pulled away with 3 runs in the fifth. Dylan Fine legged out an infield hit, Priest slapped a single to rightfield, and Hill beat out an infield hit. Drew Sholar’s sacrifice scored Dylan Fine. Meares knocked in Priest and Hill with a single to right-centerfield.
Meares was hit by a pitch in the Bladen seventh, and Gabe Barber reached base on an infield hit. Wooten crushed his 3-run homer to stretch the lead to 8-1.
Makhi Cromartie, K. J. Brown and Jacob Priest combined to pitch the victory for Bladen County.
Barber batted 4-for-5 with a run scored to lead the Bladen hitters. Dylan Fine finished 3-for-5 at the plate with a run scored. Priest batted 2-for-5 with a double and 2 runs scored. Wooten slugged the 3-run homer. Hill, Autry and Meares added one hit each. Meares drove in 2 runs, and Hill scored 2 runs. Sholar drove in a run.
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