NEWTON GROVE – Sophomore Cabria Baldwin walloped a pair of inside-the-park home runs and drove in 5 runs to lead East Bladen to a 13-3 non-conference softball victory over Hobbton Monday night.
Coach Alan West’s Eagles improved to 6-9 overall and will return to Waccamaw Conference play Tuesday night at Whiteville. Hobbton, now 2-13, will host Union Tuesday night.
Junior Martha Simmons rapped a single through the middle to start the game. Junior Mollie Tolar walked, sophomore Niyah Wooten smoked a single to center field, and sophomore Jenna Brice’s fielder’s choice scored Simmons.
The Lady Wildcats answered with singles by Claire Meyer and freshman Madison Sinclair. Meyer was retired on a fielder’s choice, but Sinclair scored on an error to tie the game 1-1.
Baldwin drilled her solo home run to center field in the East 2nd inning to edge the Lady Eagles ahead 2-1.
Brice smashed a single past 3rd to start the East 3rd inning, and sophomore Gracey Clark slapped a single off the pitcher. Freshman Tatum Allen ripped a single off the 3rd baseman, and freshman Jamiee Perkins yanked a single to 3rd base that scored Brice. Baldwin blasted her grand-slam home run to right-field that stretched the Lady Eagle lead to 7-1.
Wooten reached base on an error to begin the East 4th inning. Wooten advanced on a wild pitch and fielder’s choice before racing home on Clark’s bunt single. Perkins walloped a triple to center field that scored Clark. Perkins then scored on an error to stretch the lead to 10-1.
Senior Kaitlyn Rodriguez raked a single to left and later scored on an error to trim the margin to 10-2 in the 4th.
Simmons drew a lead-off walk in the 5th but was retired on Tolar’s fielder’s choice. After Wooten was hit by a pitch, Brice hammered a double to center field that scored Tolar for an 11-2 lead.
Freshman Nevaeh Brown was hit by a pitch in the East 6th inning but was retired on Simmons’ fielder’s choice. Tolar was hit by a pitch, and Wooten knocked in Simmons with a single to center field.
Singles by Zannah Hairr, McKenna Thornton and Miley McLamb produced a Hobbton run and whittled the East lead to 12-3.
Allen smacked a 1-out single in the Lady Eagle 7th inning and circled the bases on an error, a passed ball and a wild pitch.
Baldwin finished 2-for-3 at the plate with 2 home runs, 5 RBIs and 2 runs scored to lead the East hitters. Perkins batted 2-for-3 with a triple, 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored. Brice turned in a 2-for-5 game with a double, 2 RBIs and a run scored. Simmons batted 2-for-3 with 2 runs scored.
Wooten finished 2-for-4 at the plate with an RBI and a run scored. Clark batted 2-for-4 with an RBI and 2 runs scored. Allen turned in a 2-for-5 game and scored 2 runs. Tolar scored a run.
Brice pitched a completed game 7-hitter and allowed 3 runs – 1 earned – while striking out 7 and walking none.
Seven different Wildcats collected 1 single each. Rodriguez pitched 3.1 innings and allowed 9 runs – 7 earned – on 10 hits and 3 walks while striking out 2. Hairr worked 3.2 innings of relief and gave up 4 runs – 2 earned – on 4 hits and 2 walks.
East Bladen 115 311 1 — 13-14-3
Hobbton 100 101 0 — 3- 7-4
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