TOWN CREEK –A seven-run sixth inning explosion closed out a 17-7 run-rule victory for Bladen County over Columbus County Sunday night in the North Carolina Dixie Boys Baseball State Tournament.
Bladen County pushed across a first-inning run. Chase Starkloff walked, advanced on Raymond Autry’s hit and darted home on Makhi Cromartie’s sacrifice fly.
The Bladen team took charge with 4 runs in the third inning to take a 5-1 lead. Tyler Hill led off with a single, and Autry cracked a single. Ayden Piland walked, and Cromartie knocked in Hill and Autry with a hit. Alex Brisson drove in Piland and Cromartie with a hit.
Bladen tacked on 3 more runs in the fourth to boost the lead to 8-1. Hill, Starkloff, and Autry all drew walks and scored runs.
Columbus pulled to within 8-4, but Bladen responded with 2 runs in the fifth inning. NyQuan Richardson and Hill swatted singles, and Starkloff drove them both in with a single.
Columbus County trimmed the margin to 10-7 in the top of the sixth before Bladen closed the game out in the bottom half. Cromartie walked, and Elijah Crabtree slammed a double to drive him in. Ahmad Powell drew a walk.
Hill belted a single that scored Crabtree, and Starkloff smashed a single that scored Powell. Autry and Piland drew walks that forced home Hill. Cromartie’s hit drove in Starkloff and Autry, and Kaiden Stanley’s hit plated Piland and ended the game.
Hill batted 3-4, scored 4 runs and drove in a run. Starkloff finished 3-4 at the plate with 3 runs batted in and 3 runs scored. Cromartie batted 2-3 with 2 runs scored and 5 rbi’s. Autry finished 2-3 at the plate with 2 runs scored. Brisson was 2-3 with 2 rbi’s.
Crabtree doubled home a run and scored one. Richardson, Piland and Stanley added one hit each. Richardson and Piland scored two runs each, and Powell scored one. Piland drove in 2 runs, and Stanley drove in one.
Bladen County will play at 7 p.m. Monday in a third round winners bracket game.
About Author
