WINNABOW – Bladen County blanked Hope Mills 13-0 Sunday in the second round of the NC Junior Dixie Boys Baseball State Tournament at Town Creek Park.
Bladen County will play the Dallas/Brunswick County loser in an elimination game Monday at 11:30 a.m.
Jake Futrell and Lee Barnes combined to pitch a three-hit shutout and strike out five batters. Futrell pitched 2.2 innings and allowed two hits and two walks while striking out four. Barnes relieved and pitched 1.1 innings, giving up a hit and striking out one.
Bladen County jumped in front with a pair of first inning runs. Hunter Elks led off with a single and advanced on a passed ball. Barnes slammed a double that scored Elks. Barnes later scored on a wild pitch for a 2-0 lead.
The Bladen All-Stars tacked on four runs in the second inning. Aaron Wren walked and stole second base. Elks knocked in Wren with a single to left-center field. Evan Pait ripped a double down the left field line that scored Elks. Barnes hammered a double to left-center field that scored Pait. Parker Greene smacked a single that scored Barnes and pushed the lead to 6-0.
Bladen County pulled away with five runs in the third inning. Walks to Britt Sasser, Wren and Elks loaded the bases. Sasser was forced out at the plate on Pait’s fielder’s choice. Barnes walked to force home Wren, and Greene drove in Elks and Pait with a single. Carson Gooden cracked a single that scored Barnes, and Chase Knight drove in Greene with a single as the lead grew to 11-0.
Elks walked to start the Bladen County fourth inning. Barnes walloped a double, and Green belted a single that scored Elks. Gooden connected for a single that scored Barnes.
Barnes slugged three doubles, drove in three runs and scored four runs. Greene finished 3-for-3 at the plate with four runs batted in and a run scored. Elks batted 2-for-2 with an RBI and scored four runs. Gooden finished 2-for-4 at the plate with 2 RBI’s. Pait doubled home a run and scored twice. Knight singled and had an RBI. Wren scored twice.
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