Local roundup: Purnell Swett, Lumberton to meet in United-8 baseball semifinals

PEMBROKE — The Purnell Swett and Lumberton baseball teams will meet for a third time this season Wednesday, with the winner set to advance to the United-8 Tournament championship game, after each won quarterfinal matchups on Monday.

Second-seeded Purnell Swett beat No. 7 Seventy-First 22-2, while No. 3 Lumberton topped No. 6 Jack Britt 12-6.

The Rams (16-7) wasted no time against Seventy-First (4-18), scoring 11 runs in the first inning, six in the second and five in the third. The Falcons had single runs in the second and fourth innings.

Bladdon Hammonds, Jacob Chavis, Caden Locklear, Evert Pinto and Joseden Oxendine each posted two-hit games for the Rams. Wayden McMillan and Mason Brewer had three runs apiece and Hammonds, Chavis, Caden Locklear, Joseden Oxendine, Camden Hunt and Chandon Sanderson each scored twice. Hammonds and Chavis had three RBIs each and Joseden Oxendine, Hunt and Brewer each posted two. McMillan, Sanderson and Caden Locklear each stole two bases.

Lumberton (13-8) also had a steady offensive performance, scoring two runs or more in every inning but one en route to the victory.

The Pirates had two runs each in the first, third, fourth and sixth innings and had a four-run fifth inning. Jack Britt (5-17) scored two runs in the first, one in the sixth and three in the seventh.

Tashaun Stocks, Chatler Maynor, Bryson Hester, J.T. Hepler and Damian Robinson each had two hits for Lumberton, with Stocks and Hester contributing two RBIs each. Chatler Maynor scored three runs with Stocks, Robinson and Caleb Maynor each crossing home plate twice.

Wednesday’s semifinal game between the Rams and Pirates will be played at 6 p.m. at Purnell Swett. While Purnell Swett is in the state playoffs regardless of this week’s conference tournament result, Lumberton needs a win to keep its playoff chances alive. The winner will advance to the championship game on Thursday against the winner of No. 1 Cape Fear and No. 4 Gray’s Creek, with the higher seed hosting.