BLADENBORO – A 7-run 5th inning rally carried East Columbus to a 15-9 junior varsity baseball victory over West Bladen Wednesday in the season-opener for the Knights.
Hits by Nick Rye and pitcher Kyle Henderson keyed the pivotal 5th inning that stretched an 8-7 lead to 15-7. The rally also featured 5 walks, 2 hit batters and an error. The Knights walked 11 Gator batters in the game and hit 4 more.
East jumped in front 6-0, before freshman Caison Brixey belted a lead-off single in the Knight 2nd inning and scored on Luke Howell’s run-scoring single.
Aiden Russ drew a lead-off walk in the West 3rd inning, and freshmen Weston Hilburn and Jackson Smith both reached base on errors. Aiden Russ scored on a passed ball. Luke Howell walked, and freshman Ryan Dove knocked in a run with a single to center field.
Freshman Jonah Bryan beat out an infield hit, and Chason Harris spanked a run-scoring single to right. Allister Russ reached base on an error, and Hilburn, Smith, Howell, Dove and Bryan all scored as West tied the game 7-7.
After East went up 15-7, the Knights scored 2 runs in the home fifth. Kasey Nichols reached base on an error, and Luke Pait was hit by a pitch. Allister Russ drove in Nichols with a single to center field, and walks to Aiden Russ and Hilburn forced home Pait to whittle the margin to 15-9.
Chason Harris batted 2-for-2 with a run batted in for the Knights. Hilburn doubled and scored a run. Allister Russ, Brixey, Howell, Dove, and Bryan connected for 1 hit each. Allister Russ, Howell and Dove drove in runs. Aiden Russ, Smith, Brixey, Howell, Dove, Bryan, Nichols and Pait scored 1 run each.
Rye finished 2-for-2 with an RBI and 2 runs scored for the Gators. Austin Jacobs slammed a 3-run triple in the 2nd inning. Adrion Jennerette bated 2-for-3 with 3 runs scored, and Mack Freeman doubled and scored 3 runs.
West Bladen will host West Columbus Friday at 4 p.m.
East Columbus 241 17 — 15-7-5
West Bladen 016 02 — 9-8-1
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