BLADENBORO – West Bladen rode a 6-run, 1st-inning and the 1-hit relief pitching of Rylee Chadwick to an 8-4 Three Rivers Conference softball victory over Red Springs Wednesday night.
Chadwick, a sophomore, pitched 5 scoreless innings of one-hit relief, walked one and struck out 5 to pick up the win. Sophomore Kylie Durden started and pitched 2-plus innings for the Lady Knights, allowing 4 runs – 2 earned – on 5 hits and a walk while striking out two.
Red Springs grabbed an early 2-0 lead on run-scoring singles by Tristen Locklear and Katelynn Locklear.
The Lady Knights answered with 6 runs in the bottom of the inning. Senior Abigail Madden was hit by a pitch, and Chadwick yanked a single to leftfield. Sophomore Madison Taylor’s fielder’s choice plated Madden, and Chadwick darted home on a passed ball to tie the score.
Junior Jessalyn Vendrick hammered a double to left, and Hannah Pait ripped a single to centerfield. Sophomore Mackenzie Singletary lined a single to center that brought home Vendrick. After senior Shelby Pharr walked, Durden drilled a 3-run double to left-centerfield that scored Pait, Singletary and Pharr and vaulted West in front 6-2.
Tristen Locklear slammed a run-scoring double in the Red Springs 3rd inning, and Katelynn Locklear’s bad-hop single scored Tristen Locklear and trimmed the West lead to 6-4.
Pait walloped a double to the centerfield fence in the home half of the 3rd and dashed home as Pharr reached base on an error to grow the lead to 7-4.
Pharr knocked a single off the pitcher to begin the West 5th inning. Durden reached on a fielder’s choice that retired Pharr. A throwing error on freshman Lena Trinidad’s grounder scored Durden and boosted the lead to 8-4.
The Lady Knights left 10 runners on base and left the bases loaded in both the 3rd and 5th innings.
Pait batted 3-for-4 with a double and 2 runs scored to lead the Lady Knight hitters. Madden, Chadwick and Pharr all turned in identical 2-for-3 performances at the plate and all 3 scored runs. Vendrick batted 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored.
Durden blasted the 3-run double and scored a run. Singletary cracked a run-scoring single and scored a run. Taylor drove in a run, and Trinidad added a bunt single.
Tristen Locklear batted 2-for-3 with a double, 2 RBIs and a run scored for Red Springs. Katelyn Locklear finished 2-for-3 with 2 RBIs, and Amare McLean smashed a double. Kaitlynn Locklear pitched a complete game for the Lady Red Devils.
Coach Pam Stephens’ Lady Knights improved to 2-0 in TRC play and 6-1 overall. West Bladen will host East Columbus Thursday at 6 p.m.