WHITEVILLE – Senior Kayleigh Raynor struck out 13 batters, and East Bladen scored 3 runs in the 9th inning to claim a 6-4 victory over Whiteville in their Three Rivers Conference opener Friday night.
Junior Mariah Smith and senior Alyssa Futrell belted 1-out singles to start the winning rally. Smith scored the go-ahead run, sophomore AnnaGrey Heustess walked, and senior Carlie West was hit by a pitch. Sophomore Maegan Burney and Raynor connected for singles as Futrell and Heustess scored to pad the Lady Eagle lead to 6-3.
Sophomore Xztaysha Porter cracked a 2-out single in the Whiteville half of the 9th and came around to score as 2 batters reached base on a pair of errors. However Raynor struck out the next batter to end the game.
Raynor pitched all 9 innings to pick up the win and allowed 4 runs – 2 earned – on 8 hits, 4 walks and a hit batter. Smith batted 3-4 with a run batted in and a run scored to lead the East hitters. Sophomore Laura Davisson finished 3-5 at the plate with an RBI.
Sophomore Emma Turbeville batted 3-5 with a run scored. Futrell turned in a 2-4 performance with 2 RBIs and a run scored. Burney was 2-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Sophomore Karli Priest batted 2-5 with a run scored, and Raynor was also 2-5. Heustess scored a run.
East Bladen took a 1-0 lead in the 3rd inning. Burney smacked a 1-out single and raced home when Davisson delivered a single. Junior Tessa Nicholson walked and scored the tying run for Whiteville in the home third.
Davisson ignited a 2-run Lady Eagle 7th inning with a single, and Turbeville followed with a single. Priest rapped a single, and Smith knocked in Turbeville with a single. Futrell slugged a single that scored Priest for a 3-1 East lead.
Nicholson singled and Emma Hooks walked in the Whiteville 7th. Junior Kadance Hammonds swatted a single, and Nicholson and Hooks scored to tie the game. 3-3.
Nicholson and Reed Threadgill both batted 2-4 to lead the Whiteville hitters. Hammonds was 2-5 at the plate. Hammonds started in the circle for the Lady Wolfpack.
Coach Chris Davisson’s Lady Eagles posted their first win of the season and will travel to South Columbus Tuesday for a 6 p.m. game.
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