ELIZABETHTOWN – Bladenboro rallied for 2 runs in the 7th inning of the opener to claim a 6-5 victory then defeated Elizabethtown 11-3 in the scheduled game of a non-conference baseball doubleheader Tuesday.
The first game was the completion of a game that was suspended with Elizabethtown leading 5-4 after 6 innings. When play resumed Tuesday, Bladenboro’s Ashton Davis pitched a 1-2-3 top of the 7th inning with 2 strikeouts.
Hunter Hester led off the Bulldog 7th with a single to center field, stole 2nd base, advanced on a wild pitch and scored as Weston Hilburn reached on a passed 3rd strike. Hilburn raced to 3rd base on a wild pitch and galloped home with the winning run when Davis poled a sacrifice fly to center field.
The Bulldogs grabbed an early 5-0 lead in the 2nd game. Hester reached on a passed 3rd strike, stole 2nd base and raced home when Hilburn ripped a single to left. Hilburn advanced on a wild pitch and sprinted home when Davis smacked a single to right.
Chase Bryan reached base on an error, Luke Bryant walked, and Cole Brisson reached base on an error as Davis, Chase Bryan, and Bryant all scored.
Torrean Cogdell laced a single to right to begin the Cougar half of the first and circled the bases on an error to trim the margin to 5-1.
Hester ripped a double to left in the Bladenboro 2nd inning and scored on an error to pad the lead to 6-1.
Elizabethtown answered with 2 outs in the 3rd inning. Fox Sutton and C. J. McCracken drew walks, and Isaiah Lee was hit by a pitch. Colton Daly walked to force home Sutton, and Jadarius McArthur was hit by a pitch that forced home McCracken to whittle the Bulldog lead to 6-3.
Gavin Elks relieved Davis, the Bulldog starting pitcher, and struck out the next batter to end the threat. Elks pitched 1.1 innings of scoreless, hitless relief, struck out 2 batters and walked one. Davis pitched 2.2 innings and allowed 3 runs on a hit and 5 walks while striking out five.
Bladenboro pulled away with 5 runs in the 4th inning. Jonah Bryan walked, stole 2nd base and scooted home as Elks reached base on an error. Hester and Hilburn were both hit by pitches. Elks scored on Davis’ fielder’s choice, and Chase Bryan knocked in Hester with a single to left. Davis and Chase Bryan scored to push the count to 11-3.
Hester doubled and scored 3 runs for Bladenboro. Hilburn, Davis and Chase Bryan added 1 hit each and both of them scored 2 runs. Bryant, Hilburn, Jonah Bryan and Elks scored 1 run each. Davis drove in 2 runs, and Hilburn and Chase Bryan had RBIs.
Cogdell singled and scored a run for Elizabethtown. Sutton and McCracken both walked and scored runs. Daly and McArthur had RBIs. Daly started on the mound for the Cougars.
Coach Tim Benton’s Bulldogs improved to 9-0 and will close out the season Wednesday at Clarkton School of Discovery. Elizabethtown will travel to Tar Heel Thursday.
Bladenboro 510 5 – 11-4-2
Elizabethtown 102 0 – 3- 1-3
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