03/18/2024
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CERRO GORDO – Mario Hernandez drove in the go-ahead run in the bottom of the sixth inning as the South Columbus junior varsity edged West Bladen 3-2 Monday in the opening round of the Jiggs Powers Memorial Baseball Tournament at West Columbus High School.

West Bladen, 4-2, is scheduled to play West Columbus on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. in the consolation game. South Columbus is matched against Whiteville at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the championship game. Whiteville beat West Columbus 8-4 on Monday.

Scott Bowen went the distance on the mound for West Bladen, scattering seven hits with six strikeouts and no walks.

Ray Jones, Donald McCullum and Hunter Pait each went 2-for-4 for West Bladen. Caleb Sholar, Johnathan Ashworth, Trey Storms and Bowen each had one hit. Bowen and Jones scored the Knights’ runs while Pait and Johnathan Robinson drove in the runs.

West Bladen scored in the top of the first when Bowen opened the inning with a line single to left. He advanced to second on a fielding error, moved to third on Pait’s single to left, and scored on Robinson’s ground out to second.

South Columbus scored twice in the bottom of the first on a pair of singles, a ground out and a fielding error.

West Bladen tied the game at 2-2 in the third when Jones led off with the first of his two doubles in the game. Jones went to third on a wild pitch and trotted home on Pait’s one-out single to left.

West Bladen had runners on first and second with no outs in the fourth, but a line drive triple play ended the rally. The Knights had runners on second and third with no outs in the fifth, but could not score.

In the sixth, South Columbus’ Jay Wright connected on a one-out single and stole second. After the second out, Hernandez single to right that scored Wright with the deciding run.

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