ELIZABETHTOWN – A 9-run sixth-inning rally broke open an 8-4 game and propelled Pender to a 17-5 Four County Conference softball victory over East Bladen Monday.
The Lady Patriots scored 3 runs in the second inning, but East Bladen answered with a run in the bottom half. Freshman Izzy Smith smashed a triple and scored when sophmore Anna Kate White cracked a single to right-centerfield.
Pender tacked on a run in the third, but the Lady Eagles trimmed the margin to 4-3 in the bottom of the inning. Freshman Johanna Parker smacked a single, and junior Faith Johnson belted a single.
After Parker was retired, junior Kaley Smith walloped a 2-run home run to pull the Lady Eagles to within a run.
The Lady Patriots scored twice in the top of the fourth to pad their lead to 6-3. In the home half of the fourth, junior Majesti Corbett laced a single, stole second base, advanced on an infield out and dashed home when sophmore Ja’Tyra Moore-Peterson swatted a single to close the gap to 6-4.
Pender scored twice in the fifth inning to push the lead to 8-4 then sent 13 batters to the plate and racked up 9 runs in the sixth.
The Lady Eagles tallied their final run in the home half of the sixth. Freshman Abby Cross connected for a one-out single, stole second base, and advanced on an infield out. White knocked her in with a single to left-centerfield.
White batted 2-3 with 2 runs batted in to lead the East Bladen hitters. Moore-Peterson finished 2-3 at the plate with an rbi. Johnson also turned in a 2-3 day at the plate with a run scored.
Pitcher Kaley Smith blasted the 2-run home run. Izzy Smith hammered a triple and scored a run. Parker, Cross and Corbett added one hit each. Cross and Corbett scored one run each.
Senior Imani Newkirk batted 3-5 with a triple, a double and 3 runs scored to lead the Pender hitters. Freshman Lauren Gammons finished 3-5 at the plate with a double. Pitcher Gracie Vincent, Ke’Aira Allen, and freshman Macy Wood contributed 2 hits each to the Pender attack.
East Bladen will travel to Union Tuesday for a 6 p.m. game.
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