LELAND – A phenomenal back-handed catch at the fence by the East Columbus centerfielder resulted in a game-ending double play that preserved a 4-3 victory Tuesday and ended West Bladen’s hopes for a fourth consecutive North Carolina Dixie Pre-Majors State Championship.
West Bladen trailed 4-3 entering the bottom of the seventh inning, but walks to Weston Pidgeon and Jarrett Williams put 2 Knights on base with only one out. Trent West then hammered what appeared to be a potential game-winner.
“I thought the ball was going out,” said Knight Coach Kim Cain. “That kid ran it down and made a back-handed catch against the yellow border on the top of the fence. I was waving the runners, and we just couldn’t get back to first in time.”
The Knights grabbed a 3-0 lead in the third inning. Two walks sandwiched around a Trent West single loaded the bases. Caleb Sholar then pounded a drive over the rightfielder’s head for a double that cleared the bases and put West Bladen on top.
East Columbus scored all 4 of their runs in the fourth without a ball leaving the infield. A trio of walks and a wild pitch figured in the scoring.
Williams pitched the first 5 innings for the Knights, and Trey Storms relieved and worked a scoreless sixth inning. Trent West and Scott Bowen both worked on the mound for the Knights in the seventh.
Earlier Tuesday morning the Knights dropped a 7-2 decision to Brunswick County in a game that was suspended with Brunswick up 5-2 in the top of the third.
Brunswick scored 2 more runs in the third when play resumed. After that Storms shut them out in the fourth and fifth innings, Bowen worked a scoreless sixth, and Sholar pitched a scoreless seventh.
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