FAYETTEVILLE – Senior Braxton Davis and sophomore Kason Brown combined to pitch a 1-hitter and struck out 14 batters Tuesday night as they led Triton to a 5-4 victory over East Bladen in the semifinals of the Bulldog Baseball Easter Tournament at Terry Sanford High School.
East Bladen dropped to 7-6 with the loss and will battle Pinecrest (10-3) – a 9-4 winner over Wayne Country Day Monday – at 1 p.m. Tuesday. Triton (8-5) advances to the championship game at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
Davis pitched 4 innings and allowed 4 runs – 2 earned – on a hit and 6 walks while striking out 8 batters. Brown worked 3 scoreless, hitless innings of relief walking 3 and striking out 6 to pick up the save.
Senior Gavin Klein lined a double to center field to start the game. Davis walked, and Klein stole 3rd base. Senior Tucker Brown knocked in Klein and Davis with a single then scored on a 2-out error to pad the Hawk lead to 3-0.
Seniors Tyler Johnson and Parker Greene both reached base on errors in the Eagle 1st inning and Johnson stole a base and scored a run to trim the deficit to 3-1.
Senior Lee Barnes drew a 1-out walk in the East 3rd inning then stole 2 bases. Davion Lewis reached base on an error that scored Barnes and whittled the margin to 3-2.
Junior William Meredith was hit by a pitch to start the Hawk 4th inning, and Klein drove him in with a double. Davis lined a single to left that plated Klein and padded the Triton lead to 5-2.
Barnes and Greene drew walks to begin the Eagle 5th inning. Barnes advanced on Lewis’ fielder’s choice then dashed home on a passed ball to cut the lead to 5-3. Freshman Jayce Hatcher walked, senior D. A. Smith was hit by a pitch, and senior Jake Futrell walked to force home Lewis and pull the Eagles to within 5-4.
Lewis ripped a double to left in the 1st inning for the only East Bladen hit. Futrell had a run batted in. Barnes scored 2 runs, and Lewis and Johnson scored 1 run each.
Hatcher started on the mound for the Eagles and pitched 3.2 innings allowing 5 runs – 4 earned – on 5 hits and 2 walks while striking out 2. Lewis worked 1.1 innings of scoreless, hitless relief struck out 2 and walked 1. Barnes pitched 2 innings of scoreless, hitless relief, struck out 2 and walked 1.
Klein batted 2-for-3 with a double, a run batted in and 2 runs scored. Tucker Brown cracked the 2-run single and scored a run. Davis singled, scored a run and had an RBI.
Triton 300 200 0 — 5-5-3
East Bladen 101 020 0 — 4-1-3
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