03/29/2024
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LAKE WACCAMAW – West Bladen outhit East Columbus 15-4 Wednesday night but left 11 runners on base, while the Lady Gators capitalized on 5 walks and 3 errors to post a 10-7 non-conference softball victory.

Freshman Lena Trinidad led off the game with a single to centerfield, senior Abigail Madden beat out an infield hit, and sophomore Madison Taylor smacked a single to left-centerfield. Trinidad scored, and junior Jessalyn Vendricks ripped a single off the pitcher that plated Madden. Junior Hannah Pait’s fielder’s choice drove in Taylor for a 3-0 West Bladen lead.

Four walks and sophomore Bailey Padgett’s single produced a trio of East runs in the 2nd inning and tied the game 3-3. A walk, 2 errors, and pitcher Hannah Andrews’ 2-run single plated 4 more Lady Gator runs for a 7-3 lead in the 3rd inning.

Sophomore McKenzie Singletary started the Lady Knight 4th inning with a single to centerfield. Senior Shelby Pharr and sophomore Kylie Durden reached base on errors as Singletary scored. Madden’s grounder plated Pharr and trimmed the East lead to 7-5.

A hit batsman and an error began the Lady Gator 4th and Padgett walloped a 3-run home run over the leftfield fence to boost the East lead to 10-5.

Sophomore Rylee Chadwick hammered a double to left-centerfield and advanced on a wild pitch in the West Bladen 5th inning. Pait belted a single to right-center that scored Chadwick and closed the gap to 10-6.

Madden drilled a double down the leftfield line in the 6th inning and raced home when Chadwick laced a single to rightfield that whittled the lead to 10-7. The Lady Knights bunched 3 hits in the 7th inning but left the bases loaded.

Madden batted 4-for-5 with a double, 2 runs scored and a run batted in. Chadwick slammed 2 doubles and finished 3-for-4 at the plate with an rbi and a run scored. Durden batted 2-for-4 with an rbi, and Trinidad finished 2-for-5 at the plate with a run scored.

Pait cracked the 2-run single, and Vendricks, Taylor and Singletary added one hit each. Vendricks had an rbi, and Taylor, Singletary and Pharr scored one run each.

Chadwick started in the circle and was plagued by a tight strike zone, walking 5 and allowing 7 runs – 3 earned – on 3 hits while strking out two. Vendricks pitched a hitless 0.1 innings, and Durden pitched 1.2 innings, giving up 3 runs – 2 earned – on one hit. Taylor worked the final 2 scoreless innings in the circle allowing one hit.

Padgett batted 2-3 with the 3-run homer to lead the Lady Gator hitters. Andrews swatted the 2-run single and pitched 6 innings to pick up the win. Sophomore Ava Jacobs worked the 7th inning to earn the save.

The Lady Knights, now 1-1, will host West Columbus Tuesday at 6 p.m.

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