Members of the Bladen County 12-and-Under softball team are: Front Row (Left-Right): Emmee Ward, Mary Frances Sutton, Martha Simmons, Lena Trinidad, Megan Pait, Marlie Walters, Brookee Singletary, Reagan Moore, Molly Pait, Karly Ross, Violet Allen, Marlene Crabtree.
Back Row (L-R): Coaches Jamie Singletary, Mackie Singletary, Heather Pait.
TARBORO – Moore County scored all its runs in the third inning, but it was enough to defeat Bladen County 7-4 to win the Statewide Activities Committee State 12U Softball Tournament on Sunday afternoon at Indian Lake Sports Complex.
Moore County was unbeaten in the six-team double elimination tournament, including a pair of wins against Bladen County.
Bladen County advanced to the title game with a 15-6 triumph against Henderson-Vance earlier Sunday.
Bladen County won its first two games Saturday, defeating Randolph County 23-14 and Nash County 8-7, then lost to Moore County 11-10 in the winner’s bracket final.
MOORE COUNTY 7, BLADEN COUNTY 4
Moore County had three base hits and took advantage of five Bladen County errors to score its runs in the seventh inning, then held off a late challenge from Bladen County.
Bladen County scored its first run in the second inning. Brookee Singletary single to center, moved to second when Emmee Ward walked, advanced to third when Mary Francis Sutton reached on a fielder’s choice, and scored when Lena Trinidad reached on an error.
Trailing 7-1, Bladen County plated three runs in the fifth, getting run-producing singles from Martha Simmons and Singletary along with a Moore County error. Simmons’ hit scored Megan Pait, who had walked. Singletary’s hit drove home Marlie Walters, who also had walked.
Bladen County was retired in order in the sixth inning.
Singletary was 2-for-2 for Bladen County
Ward pitched all five games for Bladen County. None of the runs scored in Sunday’s championship game were earned.
BLADEN COUNTY 15, HENDERSON-VANCE 6
Simmons had a bases-loaded triple and Ward didn’t allow an earned run as Bladen County earned a berth in the championship game in the semifinals.
Simmons’ blast scored Sutton, Megan Pait and Violet Allen in the first to stake Bladen County to an early lead. Simmons was thrown out at home in an attempt for an inside-the-park home run.
Henderson-Vance came back with five runs in the top of the second, taking advantage of three Bladen County errors.
Bladen County answered with nine runs in its half of the second for a 12-5 lead. The rally started when Singlary singled to center and scored on Ward’s ground out. Marly Crabtree walked and Sutton reached on a fielder’s choice with Crabtree safe at second. Trinidad’s singled to center to score Crabtree that tied the game at 5-all.
Sutton gave Bladen County the lead with a steal of home. Megan Pait walked. Trinidad then stole home and Megan Pait scored on a throwing error by the catcher to put Bladen County ahead 8-5.
Molly Pait smacked a two-out single to left. Simmons followed with a single that scored courtesy runner Allen. Ward bunted and reached on an error that scored Simmons and Singletary, who had walked. Ward capped the rally by scoring off an error that made it 12-5.
Each team scored once in the third. Bladen County’s run came when Trinidad walked, stole second, advanced to third on a dropped third strike and then stole home.
Bladen’s final two runs came in the fourth. Allen, who was running for Molly Pait, stole home. Singletary scored when Ward reached on a fielder’s choice.
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