OCEAN ISLE BEACH – Hunter Hester pitched a 6-hitter and struck out 5 batters as Bladen County claimed an 11-1 victory over Richlands Monday in the North Carolina Dixie Boys State Tournament.
Bladen County advances to a winners bracket game Monday at 7 p.m. against Hope Mills.
Torrean Cogdell walked, stole 2nd base and came around to score the game’s 1st run on a wild pitch and an error. Cade Allen reached base on an error, Darius Williamson walked and stole 2nd base.
Colton Daly knocked in Allen and Williamson with a single to right field. Daly scored as Natoren Corbett reached base on an error to push the Bladen lead to 4-0.
Cogdell reached base on an error to begin the Bladen 2nd inning. Davion Lewis smashed a single to left, and Allen laced a single to center field that plated Cogdell and Lewis. Williamson ripped a single to center field that scored Allen for a 7-0 Bladen lead.
Corbett belted a single to center field to begin the Bladen 3rd inning, and Caison Brixey hammered a double to center field that scored Corbett to pad the lead to 8-0.
Richlands broke through with a run in the 5th inning, but Bladen answered with a run in the home half. Isaiah Lee walloped a double to right field and raced home on a wild pitch to up the count to 9-1.
Lewis drew a lead-off walk in the Bladen 6th inning. Allen smacked a single to center field. Hester reached base on an error that scored Lewis, and Allen dashed home on a wild pitch to end the game on the 10-run mercy rule.
Allen batted 2-for-4 with 2 RBIs and 3 runs scored to lead the Bladen hitters. Lee and Brixey drilled doubles, and Lewis, Williamson, Daly and Corbett cracked 1 hit each. Daly had 2 RBIs, and Williamson and Brixey had 1 RBI each.
Cogdell and Lewis scored 2 runs each. Williamson, Daly, Corbett and Lee scored 1 run each.
The Bladen defense turned a pair of double plays – shortstop Lewis to second baseman Cogdell to first baseman Allen in the 2nd inning and Lewis to second baseman Jonah Bryan to Allen in the 6th inning.
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