Senior Nicole Wyatt pitched a 3-hit shutout and struck out 7 to lead West Bladen to a 9-0 victory in the first game of a Four County Conference softball double-header at Pender, but the Lady Patriots battled back to win the nightcap 5-2.
The Lady Knights jumped ahead with a first inning run in the opener. Senior Morgan Sweeney and sophmore Laikyn Pait drew walks, and Sweeney raced home on a throwing error as Pait was stealing second base.
In the West second inning, sophmore Kassidy Anderson was hit by a pitch and advanced on an infield out. Kathryn Schultz belted a single to drive in Anderson. Sweeney reached base on an error, and sophmore Sophia Singletary drove in Schultz and Sweeney with a single that pushed the lead to 4-0.
Pait smashed a double to start the Lady Knight third inning. Sophmore Alanna Ludlum knocked in Pait with a single. Sophmore Logan Autry laced a single to centerfield, and Schultz slammed a run-scoring double. Sweeney ripped a run-scoring double to up the count to 8-0.
Ludlum walked in the fourth inning and scored the final West run on a wild pitch.
Schultz batted 2-3 with a double, a run batted in and 2 runs scored to lead the Lady Knight hitters. Sweeney swatted the rbi double and scored 2 runs.
Pait doubled and scored a run, and Ludlum, Autry and Wyatt connected for one hit each. Ludlum scored 2 runs, and Anderson and Autry scored one run each. Singletary drove in 2 runs, and Ludlum drove in a run.
Sophmore Imani Newkirk batted 2-3 to lead the Pender hitters. Sophmore Gracie Vincent was the Lady Patriot pitcher.
Newkirk smashed a run-scoring double to spark a 3-run Pender second inning in Game 2. Quasheda Brown singled and scored on India Daniels single.
Pait reached base on an error in the West Bladen second and eventually came around to score on another error and a fielder’s choice.
Newkirk hammered a triple in the fifth inning as the Lady Patriots tacked on 2 runs. West Bladen scored a run in the bottom of the fifth as Schultz smacked a single and Singletary knocked her in with a single.
Singletary, Schultz and Wyatt connected for one hit each as the Lady Knights were held to three hits.
Wyatt allowed 7 hits and struck out three for the Lady Knights. Vincent picked up the win for Pender.
Newkirk batted 2-3 again with a double and a triple.
The Lady Knights are now 7-5 in conference play and 10-8 overall.
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