Trask Rally in 6th Inning for the Victory

ELIZABETHTOWN-The Heide Trask Titans defeated the East Bladen Eagles for a 8-5 victory in a Waccamaw Conference clash. The Titans were able to break a 5-5 deadlock in the top of the 7th inning of Friday night’s game. They led-off with senior Phil Williams and he was able to advance to first base after getting hit by a pitch. Williams would steal second-base before being batted in by freshmen Cooper Uhland after smacking a double to center field as the visitors took a one-run lead.

The hits kept rolling-in as Nick Johnson smacked an RBI-triple to bring around Uhland and he eventually made it home on his teammate’s single to push the visitors lead to 8-5. The Eagles failed to answer as they struggled to make contact with freshmen Brian Green throwing heat from the mound. Green struckout 6-of-7 batters he faced in the final two innings of the game on Friday night.

The slugfest started with Williams crossing the plate in the first inning after Trey Cheathem blasted a hit towards the left-field fence for a 1-0 lead. The Eagles were able to get their first run across the plate on a fielder’s choice in the 2nd inning as the game was deadlocked at 1-1. Freshman Jayce Hatcher started on the mound for the Eagles and he pitched through four innings.

Hatcher and his supporting cast of outfielders were able to hold the Titans lineup for a scoreless half inning in the third. Junior Cole Butler led-off for the host at the bottom of the third inning and he was able to reach first after taking a pitch to the body. Butler would steal second base and eventually find himself on third base after advancing on a fielder’s choice.

The Eagles took the lead when a wild pitch traveled behind the plate to give Butler an unimpeded run to home. The Titans were able to strike back as Nick Johnson tagged-up on his teammate’s sacrifice fly to tie the game at 2-2 at the top of the fourth inning.

East Bladen sophomore Davion Lewis belted a triple towards the outfield for a positive start to the host at the bottom of the fourth. Lewis would break the deadlock as he plated on a Heide Trask error and Parker Greene put his team in the driver’s seat with a triple launched towards the outfield.

Aiden Hargrove replaced Greene as a pinch runner and he was able to find his way home thanks to Lee Barnes. The Eagles were able to get one more run across the plate for a 5-2 lead. Heide Trask responded by loading the bases before eventually tying the game at 5-5. Cheathem led the Titans in slugging with a 3-for-4 performance at the plate, with an RBI, and a run scored.

Greene and Lewis both finished 2-for-4 at the plate to lead the Eagles in slugging on Friday night. Barnes drove in two-runs at the plate and Tyler Johnson also had an RBI to his name. East Bladen’s overall record moves to 8-8 and they sit in third place in the conference standings with a 4-2 record. The Eagles will host the West Columbus Vikings on Tuesday for a Waccamaw Conference clash.