West Bladen Snatch’s Win

BLADENBORO-The West Bladen Knights defeated the Lumberton Pirates for a 5-2 victory on Thursday evening in a non-conference clash. West Bladen started the game slow at the plate but the bats began to heat up in the bottom of the fifth to ignite the host to their third victory of the season. Junior right-hander Garrett Dunham got the start on top of the hill for the Knights and he gave his team three solid innings of pitching before being replaced by Brady Durden in the fourth.

The Pirates led off with Chatler Maynor to start the game and he got on base with a single launched towards the outfield. Dunham was able to sit down the next batter he faced but Maynor was able to advance to second base on a steal. Lumberton sophomore J.T. Helper stepped up to the plate with ambitions of getting his team on the board but a fastball locked him up at the plate for the second out of the inning.

Senior Tashaun Stocks was able to bring the first run across the plate after ripping a ball to center field for the visitors first run of the night. The bleeding stopped there and West Bladen got out of the inning on a flyout to usher in their first at-bat of the game. Lumberton’s Damian Robinson started on the mound for the visitors and Dunham would be the first batter he faced. He’d win the pitcher-vs-pitcher duel at the plate after Dunham chopped one to the third-basemen for the first out at the bottom of the inning.

West Bladen freshmen Ashton Davis smoked a pitch straight back at Robinson for the second out and the Knights were able to get a walk before the final out of the inning. Dunham started the top of the second inning by striking out Tra’von Moore for a positive start. Robinson took to the plate next and he was able to beat a throw to first after his hit trickled infield to put a Pirate runner on.

Lumberton junior Shaun Henderson laid down a bunt but the runner was thrown out at second on a fielder’s choice. The Pirates would get a free pass to first after the next batter was hit with a pitch but a pop-out would conclude their half of the inning. West Bladen’s Alister Russ led off to start the bottom of the inning and he delivered a double to left field but would eventually get thrown out on a double-play a few moments later.

The Knights half of the second quickly came to an end with Durden grounding out to first base but the host stayed solid in defense at the top of the next inning by leaving Pirate runners stranded at first and third. West Bladen followed it up with a forgettable inning at the plate themselves and the score stayed 1-0 in favor of the visitors.

Dunham nailed a batter with a pitch before being replaced at the top of the fourth inning and he was replaced by Durden. Henderson attempted to bunt once more on his second at-bat of the evening but this time he popped out to the catcher for out one. The runner advanced to second base on a steal but the Knights would get their second out on a fly ball launched towards the centerfield.

Dunham would make a play at shortstop to conclude the top of the fourth inning and the Knights locked-in for a momentum-shifting at-bat to come. West Bladen sophomore Hunter Hester got a hold of Robinson’s pitch as it sailed over the outfielders head for a lead-off double to start the host half of the fourth. Junior slugger Cade Allen showed patience at the plate to earn the walk to put two runners on base with no outs.

A sacrificial bunt from Allister Russ would advance the runners to second and third base to get the Knights in a dangerous position. Aiden Russ stepped up to the plate and handled the rest with an RBI-single falling in shallow-center to bring Hester home as the Knights tied the game 1-1. Robinson was struggling with his command on top of the mound but was able to get the second out on a grounder to second.

Unfortunately the pressure was back on his shoulders as Robinson walked the next batter he faced to load the bases. Senior designated-hitter Jahmer Richardson sent an RBI-single to right field to give the host their first lead of the night at 2-1. The fireworks stopped there for the Knights and the visitors were eager to get back at them to start the fifth.

Maynor led-off with a single to left-field to get a runner on base for the Pirates and gave them some life to start the inning. Robinson smashed one to right-field for a single but was thrown out trying to take second base for the first out. Stocks crushed a ball towards the outfield that brought home a tagging Maynor to tie the game at 2-2. The Knights held firm on the defensive side and were able to get out of the inning on a flyout.

Robinson was replaced with Stocks on top of the mound to start the bottom of the fifth inning for the Pirates. Davis led-off with a single to start the Knights half of the fifth but he’d be thrown out at second after Hester booted a grounder infield. Allen was able to smoke a pitch towards the outfield to get on-base with a single to place Knight runners on first and second. Allister Russ followed it up with an RBI-single to put the host back in front at 3-2 before the Pirates got the final two outs to conclude the inning.

The Knights held their ground at the top of the sixth and put their opponents out of their misery during their next at-bat with two runs crossing the plate. Durden is credited with the win as he allowed three hits and one run through four innings pitched. Allister Russ led the Knights in hitting with two hits and an RBI in three plate appearances.

West Bladen’s overall record moves to 3-5 and they host the Clinton Darkhorses’ for their first SAC 6 matchup of the season on Tuesday.