CLARKTON – Michael Young pitched a complete-game 5-hitter and struck out 17 batters Monday to lead Bladenboro to a 14-6 Waccamaw Middle School Conference baseball victory over Clarkton School of Discovery.
Young struck out 12 of the final 13 batters that he faced and did not allow a base-runner after the third inning.
Andre Moore and Aiden Russ drew walks to start the Bulldog first inning. Aaron Wren belted a single to left that scored Moore and Aiden Russ.
The Blue Devils answered with a run in the home first. Nyquan Richardson smashed a double to rightfield and raced home when Parker Greene hammered a triple to right.
Wadeyn Norris walked, stole second and scored when Xavier Spaulding reached base on an error in the Bulldog second inning. Tristan Meares, Moore and Aiden Russ drew walks. Wren drove in Meares with a single. Young walked to force home Moore and boost the Bladenboro lead to 5-1.
Lafon Monroe reached base on an error, and Garrett Dunham walked to start the Clarkton third inning. Richardson crushed a triple to rightfield that scored Monroe and Dunham. Lee Barnes ripped a single to center that plated Richardson.
Tragen McCullum beat out an infield hit, and Barnes stole home to tie the game on the back end of a double steal with McCullum. Samaj Dove swatted a single to right that edged Clarkton ahead 6-5.
Bladenboro answered with 2 runs in the fourth. Moore walked and scored when Aiden Russ lined a single to left. Aiden Russ darted home on Wren’s fielder’s choice to vault the Bulldogs back in front 7-6.
Hunter White walked in the Bladenboro fifth inning and dashed home when Moore slapped a single to left. Aiden Russ followed with a single to left, and Wren rapped a single to centerfield that scored Moore and pushed the lead to 9-6.
Stephen Matheson led off the Bulldog sixth with a single to right-centerfield. Norris reached base on error, and White walked. Moore slammed a double to left that scored Matheson and Norris. Aiden Russ pulled a hit past third that scored White. Moore scooted home on an error, and another error plated Russ for the final 14-6 margin.
Moore batted 2-2 with a double, 3 runs batted in and 5 runs scored. Aiden Russ finished 3-3 at the plate with an rbi and 3 runs scored. Wren batted 3-5 with a double and 5 rbi’s. Chandler Russ and Matheson added one hit each for the Bulldogs. Young had an rbi. Norris and White scored 2 runs each, and Meares and Matheson scored one run each.
Richardson batted 2-3 with a double, a triple, 2 rbi’s and 2 runs scored for the Blue Devils. Greene slugged the rbi triple, and Barnes, McCullum and Dove added one hit each. Dove and Barnes had rbi’s. McCullum, Barnes, Monroe and Dunham scored runs.
Dunham pitched one inning for the Blue Devils and allowed 2 runs – one earned – on 2 walks and a hit while striking out two. Richardson pitched 0.1 inning and gave up 3 runs – 2 earned – on 3 walks. Futrell worked the final 5.1 innings and allowed 9 runs – 4 earned – on 4 walks and 6 hits while striking out eight.
Coach Keith Wren’s Bulldogs will travel to Nakina Thursday. Clarkton will visit Elizabethtown Tuesday.
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