East Bladen’s Tanner Meares scored the deciding run in the top of the fifth inning as the Eagles edged West Bladen 4-3 Friday in Four County Conference jayvee baseball action at West.
Spencer Scott smacked a single to centerfield to start the Eagle fifth inning, and Meares was hit by a pitch. Scott was doubled off second on a popped up bunt, but Holden Clark smacked a single to centerfield.
Scott Howell walked to load the bases, and Shy Pone’s grounder up the middle was fielded by the secondbaseman who tossed the ball to the shortstop. However the shortstop was ruled to be off the bag which allowed Meares’ run to score.
The Knights had just tied the game 3-3 with 2 runs in the bottom of the fourth. Catcher Jalen Drew walked, and Cameron Peterson raked a single through the left side. Shawn Oxendine’s sacrifice bunt advanced both runners, and Ian Sykes was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
Dalton Pait’s fielder’s choice plated Jeremy Pait, the courtesy runner for Drew, and a throwing error on the play allowed Peterson to race home with the tying run.
Sophmore Devan Stocks pitched the 6-inning complete game for the Eagles. Stocks struck out 4 and allowed 3 runs – 2 earned – on 5 hits, 3 walks and 2 hit batsmen.
Sophmore Trey Storms went the distance on the hill for West Bladen and allowed 4 runs – 3 earned – on 12 hits, a walk and 2 hit batsmen while striking out nine.
The Eagles grabbed a 1-0 first inning lead as Pone slapped a single through the left side, stole second, advanced on Stocks’ infield hit and darted home on a wild pitch.
East Bladen tacked on 2 more runs in the second. Meares bounced a single over the bag at third, stole second base and raced home when Eric Chancy belted a single to centerfield. Chancy scooted all the way to third base when the single was misplayed in the outfield.
Chancy was tagged out when Howell’s bunt turned into a fielder’s choice, but Pone hammered a triple to right-centerfield that drove in Howell.
The Knights trimmed the margin to 3-1 in the home second. Caleb Sholar beat out an infield hit, and Brandon Strange’s sacrifice moved him to second. Sholar advanced on a wild pitch and scored when Drew laced a single to centerfield.
Meares batted 3-3 with a double and 2 runs scored, and Clark finished 2-3 at the plate to lead the Eagles. Pone was 2-4 with the triple, a run batted in and a run scored. Stocks and Scott both finished 2-4 at the plate. Chancy added the rbi single, and Howell scored a run.
Sholar batted 2-3 with a run scored for West. Drew cracked the rbi single and scored a run. Peterson singled and scored a run, and Robinson added a single.
East Bladen improves to 6-1 in league play and 9-2 overall. West Bladen is now 8-7 on the season.
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