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Photos by Kenneth Armstrong
ELIZABETHTOWN – Senior Kyle Tatum’s fielder’s choice scored pinch-runner Gabe Barber with the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning and lifted East Bladen to a 5-4 victory over First Flight in the opening round of the NCHSAA Class 2A Baseball Play-offs.
Junior Deondre Newkirk led off the Eagle seventh and attempted to bunt with two strikes, missed the ball and dashed to first base when the ball eluded the Nighthawk catcher.
A 25-minute delay ensued as the First Flight coach protested the ruling that a batter could take first base on a missed third-strike bunt attempt. After a phone call by the umpires to get a ruling on the protest, the ruling on the field was upheld.
One out later junior Sincere Smith was hit by a pitch, and Barber, a freshman, pinch-ran for Newkirk. A pick-off attempt at second base went into centerfield allowing Barber to race to third base and Smith to hustle into second.
The Nighthawks chose not to issue an intentional walk to set up a force at home, and Kyle Tatum bounced a hard grounder to shortstop. The throw home was low and squirted away from the catcher as Barber slid in with the game-winner.
“I knew when we had Kyle coming up that we were going to win,” said Eagle Coach Russell Priest. “I am glad we got the win. It has been a while since we won a play-off game.”
First Flight produced a first inning run on a walk, Braxton Hughes’ infield hit and Ryan Gallaccio’s bloop-single that barely eluded shortstop Smith.
Sophomore Shy Pone bounced a single through the middle to start the Eagle first. Smith lined a single to right-field, and sophomore Josh McKoy launched a sacrifice fly to left-field that scored Pone and tied the game 1-1.
The Nighthawks turned a trio of walks, a Hughes single and a wild pitch into a pair of third inning runs and took a 3-1 lead.
McKoy drilled a triple over the right-fielder’s head in the Eagle fourth inning. Junior Brooks McGill laced a single to centerfield that scored McKoy and sliced the margin to 3-2.
Hughes blasted a triple to deep right-centerfield in the fifth inning and sprinted home on a wild pitch to pad the First Flight lead to 4-2.
Newkirk beat out a bunt single in the home fifth, advanced on a wild pitch, moved to third on an errant pick-off attempt and darted home on a wild pitch. Smith was hit by a pitch, and Kyle Tatum lined a single to left. Smith stole third base and scooted home on a wild pitch to tie the game.
The Eagles used their speed to manufacture runs gaining 9 bases through stolen bases, errant pick-off attempts and wild pitches in the final 3 innings. “We have some guys who can really run,” said Coach Priest. “They put pressure on the defense.”
McGill batted 2-3 with a run batted in to lead the Eagle hitters. McKoy slammed the triple, scored a run and drove in a run. Pone, Smith, Kyle Tatum, Greyson Heustess and Newkirk added one hit each.
Newkirk scored 2 runs, and Pone and Smith scored one run each. Kyle Tatum had one really big rbi.
Sophomore Pierce Melvin started on the mound and pitched 3-plus innings, allowing 3 runs on 4 hits and 5 walks while striking out two. Junior Xavier Wooten worked 4 innings of relief to pick up the win, giving up a run on 2 hits, a walk and a hit batter. Wooten struck out six batters.
Hughes batted 3-4 with a triple and 2 runs scored to lead the Nighthawk hitters. Gallaccio pitched the first 6 innings, before Luke Golliday relieved and pitched the seventh.
East Bladen improved to 15-6 with the win and will travel to North Johnston Saturday for a second round game.
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