FAYETTEVILLE – Freshman Ethan Noble and junior Davis McLamb combined to pitch a 5-inning, 2-hitter as the host Terry Sanford Bulldogs defeated East Bladen 12-2 Saturday in the opening round of their Bulldog Easter Invitational Baseball Tournament.
East Bladen, now 8-7, will battle South View at 10 a.m. Monday in the consolation bracket. South View (11-6) lost to Richmond 10-1 Saturday.
Nobles started and worked 4 innings on the hill allowing 2 hits, 4 walks and an unearned run while striking out two. McLamb relieved in the 5th and allowed an unearned run on a walk while striking out two.
The Bulldogs jumped in front 3-0 in the 1st inning on 2 hits, a walk, a hit batter, an error and a wild pitch. Two walks and senior Brady Gore’s 2-run triple highlighted a 5-run Terry Sanford 2nd inning that pushed the lead to 8-0.
Junior Marlan Davis and senior Chase Starkloff drew walks to begin the Eagle 3rd inning. Junior Evan Pait’s fly ball to right field was misplayed and scored Davis to whittle the margin to 8-1.
An error and singles by seniors Cameron Seagroves and Nathan Townsend produced a Bulldog run in the third. Two more Bulldog hits and a sacrifice fly padded the lead to 10-1 in the fourth.
Junior Coleman Tatum walked to start the East Bladen 5th inning. Coleman Tatum moved up on a wild pitch and raced home when sophomore Jake Futrell reached base on an error.
An error, 2 singles, a walk and a sacrifice fly resulted in 2 more Terry Sanford runs in the home 5th and ended the game on the mercy rule.
Sophomore Tyler Johnson and senior Ethan Johnson smacked 1 hit each for the Eagles. Davis and Coleman Tatum scored runs. Starkloff walked twice.
Sophomore Britt Sasser pitched all 4.1 innings for the Eagles. Only 4 of the 12 Bulldog runs were earned as the Eagles committed 6 errors. Sasser allowed 10 hits and 4 walks while striking out three.
Gore batted 3-for-4 with a triple, 4 runs batted in and 2 runs scored to lead the Bulldog hitters. Seagroves was 2-for-4 with a run scored. Townsend singled and scored 3 runs. Junior Gehrig Hodges delivered a 2-run single.
East Bladen 001 01 – 2- 2-6
Terry Sanford 351 12 – 12-10-3
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