WILLIAMSTON –Sophomore Brody Whitaker laced a walk-off single to center field in the 8th inning that scored senior Cameron Lilley with the winning run as Martin County edged West Bladen 3-2 in the opening round of the NCHSAA Class 2A baseball playoffs.
West Bladen, the No. 22 seed, finished their season with an 11-11 record, while No. 11 seed Martin County will advance with a 14-10 record.
Lilley reached base on a passed 3rd strike to start the home 8th, and an error on Easton Warren’s sacrifice bunt put 2 runners on base. Both runners advanced, and Jackson Harrell was walked intentionally to load the bases prior to Whitaker’s game-ending hit.
Junior Brady Durden pitched a strong 7-plus innings for West allowing 3 unearned runs on 5 hits and 3 walks while striking out 2. Two West Bladen errors in the 1st inning paired with singles by Warren and Whitaker produced 2 runs and staked Martin County to a 2-0 lead.
Freshman Ashton Davis and junior Cade Allen lined singles to center field to start the West 3rd inning. Sophomore Hunter Hester advanced both runners with a sacrifice bunt, and senior Jordan Hester’s fielder’s choice scored Davis and trimmed the margin to 2-1.
Junior Aiden Russ smashed a double to right field to lead-off the West Bladen 7th inning. Junior Garrett Dunham knocked in Aiden Russ with a double to left field that tied the game.
Aiden Russ batted a perfect 3-for-3 with a double and a run scored to lead the West hitters. Davis turned in a 2-for-4 game at the plate and scored a run. Dunham doubled and drove in a run. Allen, junior Allister Russ and sophomore Joshua Dawson added 1 hit each. Jordan Hester drove in a run.
Warren batted 2-for-3 with a run scored to lead the Martin hitters, and Whitaker finished 2-for-4 with the big run batted in. Lilley scored twice.
Jackson Ward, a freshman, pitched 6.1 innings and allowed 2 runs on 8 hits while striking out 4. Warren worked 1.2 innings of 1-hit relief and struck out 2.
West Bladen 001 000 10 — 2-9-4
Martin Co. 200 000 01 — 3-5-1
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