FAYETTEVILLE –Cruize Hertz and Justin Ebert combined to pitch a 5-hitter and strike-out nine batters as Terry Sanford defeated West Bladen 6-2 Saturday in the opening round of the Bulldog Baseball Easter Tournament.
Hertz allowed a run on 3 hits and 2 walks while striking out 7 in his 6 innings on the mound. Ebert gave up a run on 2 hits in the seventh inning while striking out two.
The Bulldogs bunched 4 hits, a walk and an error to score a trio of first inning runs. David Hertz’ double and another hit led to a Terry Sanford run in the second inning. Graham West doubled home another Bulldog run in the third.
Junior Logan West hammered a double to right field in the Knight sixth inning, and junior Nolan Bryant raked a single past shortstop. Senior Jeremy Pait launched a sacrifice fly that scored Logan West.
The Bulldogs turned a pair of singles into another run in the home half of the sixth.
Senior Shawn Oxendine walloped a double to leftfield in the Knight seventh inning. Senior Dalton Pait slapped a single past third that scored Oxendine.
Oxendine and Logan West slammed a double each and scored a run each for the Knights. Teammates Dalton Pait, Bryant and David Valenta connected for one hit each. Dalton Pait and Jeremy Pait drove in one run each.
Logan West pitched the first two innings for West Bladen and allowed 4 runs – two earned – on 6 hits and a walk. Senior Derrick Long pitched 4 innings of relief and gave up 2 runs – one earned – on 5 hits.
David Hertz batted 2-3 with a double and scored 2 runs for the Bulldogs. Ebert batted 2-4 with a run batted in and a run scored. Teammate Jackson Deaver finished 2-4 at the plate with 2 rbi’s and a run scored, and Marcus Sancez was 2-3 with a run scored.
West Bladen will play East Bladen Monday at 1 p.m. in the consolation bracket.
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