WINNABOW – Kings Mountain snapped a 6-6 tie with a sixth inning run and held on for a 7-6 victory over Bladen County Sunday in the North Carolina Dixie Boys State Baseball Tournament.
A one-out single and a fielder’s choice produced the deciding run for Kings Mountain.
Kings Mountain capitalized on 3 hits, a walk and an error to plate 4 runs in the first inning.
Bladen County rallied with 5 runs in the third inning. RaSean McKoy and Ethan Johnson drew walks, and Ayden Piland reached base on an error to load the bases. Zach Meares ripped a double that scored McKoy and Johnson.
Brady Hollingsworth and Raymond Autry drew walks with Autry’s free pass forcing home Piland. Drew Sholar’s fielder’s choice scored Meares, and Jacob Priest lifted a sacrifice fly to centerfield that scored Makhi Cromartie, the courtesy runner for Hollingsworth, and edged Bladen County ahead 5-4.
Kings Mountain bounced back with 2 runs in the fourth on 3 hits and a walk.
Bladen County tied the game in the fifth as Meares smashed a lead-off single and circled the bases on a pair of errors.
The Kings Mountain pitching tightened up and retired the side in order in the final 2 innings.
Meares’ single and double accounted for the only two hits by Bladen County in the game, driving in 2 runs and scoring two. The Bladen team drew 4 of their 6 walks in the third inning and three of those walks scored.
Piland started on the mound for Bladen County and allowed 4 runs on 3 hits and a walk in 0.2 innings while striking out one. Hollingsworth relieved and worked 3 innings on the mound, giving up 2 runs on 3 walks and 3hits while striking out three.
Sholar took the hill next for Bladen and worked 2.1 innings allowing a run on 2 hits and 2 hit batters while striking out one. Meares pitched a 1-2-3 seventh inning and struck out two.
Bladen County will play Brunswick County Monday at 9 a.m.
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