WHITEVILLE – Junior Martha Simmons walloped a 2-run home run over the left field fence in the 8th inning that lifted East Bladen to an 11-9 Waccamaw Conference softball victory over Whiteville Tuesday night.
Coach Alan West’s Lady Eagles improved to 4-7 in league play and 7-9 overall and will host Whiteville Friday in a return match. The Lady Wolfpack dropped to 5-4 in league play and 8-10 overall.
After Whiteville capitalized on a trio of East Bladen errors and Margaret Cartrette’s game-tying 2-run homer to score 4 runs in the 7th, sophomore Cabria Baldwin scorched a single through the middle, before Simmons slugged the 2-run homer to put East up 11-9.
Sophomore Jenna Brice pitched around a lead-off walk in the home 8th then retired the next 3 Whiteville hitters to end the game. Brice finished with an 8-inning complete game allowing 9 runs – 4 earned – on 7 hits and 2 walks while striking out 1.
Sophomore Chesney Cribb doubled and scored to put Whiteville up 1-0 in the 2nd inning.
Baldwin beat out a bunt single, and freshman Taylor Dowless walked to start the East 3rd inning. Simmons smoked a single to right that scored Baldwin with the tying run. Junior Mollie Tolar’s sacrifice bunt plated Dowless. Sophomore Niyah Wooten hammered a double to right that scored Simmons. Brice reached base on an error that brought home Wooten to put the Lady Eagles up 4-1.
An error, Angel Smith’s double and Campbell Thompson’s single plated a Whiteville run before Madayln Edge launched a 3-run homer to left that put the Lady Wolfpack up 5-4.
Freshman Tatum Allen drew a lead-off walk in the East 4th inning, advanced on an infield out and darted home when Baldwin lined a single to right. Baldwin advanced on a passed ball and raced home when Simmons smacked a single off the pitcher to put the Lady Eagles up 6-5.
Wooten raked a single to left to start the East 5th inning. Brice smashed a double to center field, but Wooten was retired at the plate. Sophomore Gracey Clark drilled a double to center that scored Nadya Colon, the courtesy runner for Brice. Allen walked, and freshman Jamiee Perkins’ fielder’s choice plated Clark. Baldwin drove in Allen with a single to right to boost the lead to 9-5.
Baldwin batted 4-for-4 with 2 runs batted in and 3 runs scored to lead the East hitters. Simmons finished 3-for-5 with a home run, 4 RBIs and 2 runs scored. Wooten batted 2-for-5 with a double, an RBI and a run scored. Clark doubled, had an RBI and a run scored. Brice doubled, Tolar added a single and an RBI. Perkins had an RBI. Allen scored 2 runs, and Dowless scored a run.
Cribb batted 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored to lead Whiteville. Edge homered and had 4 RBIs. Cartrette homered and had 2 RBIs. Smith doubled and scored twice. Thompson singled and had 2 RBIs.
Cartrette pitched 4.1 innings allowing 9 runs – 7 earned – on 8 hits and 3 walks while striking out 3. Edge worked 3.2 innings of relief allowing 2 runs on 4 hits while striking out 1.
East Bladen 004 230 02 — 11-12-8
Whiteville 014 000 40 — 9– 7- 1
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