ELIZABETHTOWN –Seniors Jake Futrell and Britt Sasser combined on a 1-hit shutout and struck out 5 to lead East Bladen to a 10-0 mercy-rule victory over Tarboro in the opening round of the NCHSAA Class 1A baseball playoffs.
Coach Grant Pait’s Eagles, the No. 10 Eastern seed, raised their record to 13-11, and will advance to a 2nd round game at No. 7 seed Roxboro Community – a 3-2 winner over Chatham Central. Tarboro, the No. 23 seed, finished with a 10-13 record.
Futrell started and pitched 5 innings, allowing only a 4th inning single to Stephen Ribustello and 1 walk while striking out 3. Sasser worked a hitless inning of relief and struck out 2.
Senior Lee Barnes batted 2-for-3 with 2 runs batted in and 2 runs scored to lead the Eagle hitters. Senior Carson Gooden finished 2-for-3 at the plate with 2 RBIs and a run scored. Seniors D.A. Smith and Tyler Johnson, sophomore Davion Lewis and freshman Jayce Hatcher connected for 1 hit each. Smith and Cole Butler had 1 RBI each. Johnson and Braylon Cromartie scored 2 runs each, and Smith, Hatcher and Zach Sholar scored 1 run each.
Smith walked to start the East 1st inning, advanced on a wild pitch, stole 3rd base and scored on an error. Futrell walked and his courtesy runner, Sholar, stole 2nd base. Barnes knocked in Sholar with a single to right then advanced on an error. Hatcher reached on an error that scored Barnes for a 3-0 lead.
Johnson walked, moved up on a fielder’s choice and raced home when Smith laced a single to right field that padded the lead to 4-0 in the 2nd inning.
Hatcher and Gooden smacked singles to start the Eagle 4th inning, and Johnson reached base on a bunt single. Butler launched a sacrifice fly to center field that scored Hatcher. Gooden sprinted home on a passed ball, and Johnson dashed home on a wild pitch to boost the led to 7-0.
Senior Parker Greene reached base on an error in the 5th inning, and Barnes and Hatcher were both hit by pitches. Cromartie, the courtesy runner for Greene, and Barnes both raced home when Gooden delivered a 2-run single to center field that upped the count to 9-0.
Greene was hit by a pitch in the 6th inning, and courtesy runner Cromartie stole 2nd base. Barnes ripped a single to center field that scored Cromartie with the game-ending run.
Cole Craddock started on the mound for Tarboro and pitched 4 innings allowing 7 runs – 5 earned – on 6 hits and 3 walks while striking out 2. Landon Browning and Camden Matthews worked in relief for the Vikings.
Tarboro. 000 000 — 0-1-6
East Bladen 310 321 — 10-8-0
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