WINNABOW – Trey Wilson raced home on Stryker Pait’s ground ball in the 7th inning to give Bladen County a 5-4 walk-off victory over Dallas Sunday in the opening round of the 2024 North Carolina Junior Dixie Boys State Tournament at Town Creek Park.
Bladen County advances to a 12-noon winner’s bracket game Monday against Lumberton who defeated Duplin County 7-2 in their tourney opener.
Wilson and Gaston Russ drew walks to begin the winning rally. Wilson stole 3rd base then darted home on Pait’s grounder with the winning run.
After a scoreless 3.5 innings, Aidan Thompson ripped a double to left field to begin the Bladen 4th inning. Chandler Wall laced a single to center field, and Gunner Lewis lined a single to left that scored Thompson. Jeremiah Bryan’s fielder’s choice brought home Wall, and Greylon Robinson’s fielder’s choice plated Lewis for a 3-0 Bladen lead.
Two walks and Zach Gosnell’s 2-run single rallied Dallas to within 3-2 in the 5th inning.
Russ and Pait belted singles to right field to start the Bladen 5th inning. Russ dashed to 3rd on Pait’s hit, and Pait stole 2nd base before Russ scored on a double play to pad the lead to 4-2.
A passed 3rd strike and doubles by Levi Sikes and Carter White produced a pair of Dallas runs that tied the game 4-4 in the top of the 7th inning.
Russ batted 2-for-3 with a double and scored a run to lead the Bladen hitters. Thompson doubled, and Pait, Brooks Carroll, Wall and Lewis connected for 1 single each. Pait, Thompson, Lewis, Bryan and Robinson drove in 1 run each. Thompson, Wall, Lewis and Wilson scored 1 run each.
Carroll started on the mound for Bladen and pitched 2 scoreless innings allowing 1 hit and 2 walks while striking out 5. Thompson worked 2 innings of relief allowing a run on 2 walks and a hit while striking out 3. Pait worked 3 innings of relief to pick up the win and allowed 3 runs on 4 hits and a walk while striking out 5.
Dallas 000 020 2 — 4-6-0
Bladen County 000 310 1 — 5-7-1
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