West Bladen invaded East Columbus and took wins in two of four contests. Green Sea Floyds, S.C., ventured into North Carolina and was swept by South Columbus. Whiteville softball rallied late but fell at Wilmington Ashley.
BASEBALL
WBHS 7, ECHS 2
The visiting Knights scored two runs in the first inning, one on the third, three in the fourth and a single run in the fifth to lead 7–0. East Columbus scored single runs in the sixth and seventh innings to account for the final tally.
Carter Watts’ sacrifice fly plated the Gators run in the sixth. Landon Coyle’ sac fly added the Gators second run in the seventh. Aaron Mitchell, J. T. Little and Nick Rye had hits for East Columbus.
Mitchell, Linwood Stewart, Little and Kyle Henderson pitched for East Columbus. Little was the most effective, striking out four batters in his two innings on the mound.
SCHS 14, GSF 4
South Columbus scored at least one run in each of the final five innings of a six-inning 14–4 win over Green Sea_Floyds, SC.
After a scoreless first, the Stallions used singles by John Harvey Gore, Dylan Cullipher and Jaheim Dixon to load the bases. Errors by GSF allowed all three runners to score. The Trojans would tie the game with three runs in the top of the third.
Carter Lee singled for South in the bottom of the third. Gore’s triple scored Lee. Dixon singled to score Gore. Dixon would score later in the inning on a wild pitch. Cole Edge singled and came around to score on Easton McPherson’s hit for a 7–3 Stallions lead.
Gore would single and score on a balk to increase the South advantage to 8–3 after four innings. GSF scored its fourth and final run in the fifth on a double and wild pitch.
Bo Kinlaw doubled to open the South sixth. Edge singled to score Kinlaw. Consecutive bunts by McPherson and Weldon Gore plated another run. Lee singled to make the score 11–4 and an error moved the tally to 12–4.
South ended the contest with two runs in bottom of the sixth. Dixon singled and advanced when Kinlaw reached on an error. Edge bunted for a base hit. A fielder’s choice scored Dixon and Kinlaw scored the walk off run on Weldon Gore’s single.
Briar Johnson pitched the first four innings for South. He allowed three runs and struck out eight batters. Kinlaw pitched the final two innings, striking out three.
John Harvey Gore, Jaheim Dixon and Cole Edge each connected for three hits. One of Gore’s safeties was a triple. Dixon scored three times and Edge drove in two runs. Easton McPherson had two hits and two RBIs. Carter Lee also had two hits.
JV BASEBALL
ECHS 5, WBHS 4
Nick Rye’s one-out base hit scored Austin Jacobs with the game-winning run in the bottom of the sixth inning.
SOFTBALL
ECHS 14, WBHS 4
After defeating West Bladen earlier this season in an extra inning contest, the Gators left no doubt as to the outcome in the return contest at “The Swamp.”
The Gators scored multiple runs in all five innings of the run-rule shortened game.
West Bladen scored a single run in the top of the first. East Columbus struck for three runs in the bottom of the frame. Ava Jacobs singled to score two runs and Chynna Patrick added an RBI single.
East would score thrice more in the second. Jacobs' two-run double after hits by Karli Godwin and Jenna King was the big blow in the second.
Kaley Mitchell’s hit drove in two runs in the third to extend East’s lead to 8–1. West Bladen scored twice in the top of the fourth, but a Knights error and doubles by Patrick and Gabby Andrews matched the pair of scores in the bottom of the frame.
West would score a single run in the fifth before the Gators put the game away with four scores (without the seven years) in the home half of the fifth. Doubles by Mitchell and Godwin started the surge. A two-run double by Patrick drove home the final two runs, ending the contest due to the 10-run margin.
Jacobs pitched all five innings for East. She allowed four runs, two earned, on five hits, three walks while striking out two.
Patrick continued her torrid hitting, batted 4–4 with two doubles, two RBIs and two runs scored to lead the East hitters. Godwin finished 3–3 at the plate with two RBIs and three runs scored. Mitchell and King had two hits each with King scoring three times. Jacobs connected for two hits, delivering four RBIs. Andrews contributed a two-run double.
SCHS 14, GSF 1
The Stallions recorded crooked numbers in three of their four at bats to wallop their South Carolina visitors.
South scored four runs in the first and third innings and put up seven runs in the fourth.
Bella Coleman recorded the pitching win. She pitched five innings, allowed two hits, one walk, one hit batter and struck out four Trojans. The one run allowed was unearned.
Brileigh Ward was 3–3 with a double and RBI. Alexuz Barnes also was 3–3 with a run batted in. Jada McDowell doubled, singled and drove in two runs. Rhea Lee had two hits and an RBI. Carmen Buck smashed a three-run triple.
ASHLEY 8, WHS 6
The visiting Wolfpack rallied late, but could not come back from a Screaming Eagles 6–1 lead after five innings.
Ashley scored a single run in the first inning. The Wolfpack tied the score with a run in the top of the third, but Ashley scored twice in the bottom of the frame.
Ashley added a single run in the fourth and two more in the fifth for a 6–1 lead. Whiteville rallied for three runs in the top of the sixth, but the home team stretched the lead back to 8–4 with a pair of scores in the sixth.
Whiteville would score twice in the seventh, but was unable to complete the comeback.
WOMEN’S SOCCER
WBHS 5, ECHS 2
East Columbus dominated possession in the first half, but West Bladen dominated the scoring. The Knights took advantage of their limited forays into the Gators end of the pitch, scoring four goals to lead 4 –0 at halftime.
East Columbus would score twice in the final eight minutes and West Bladen would add a final goal to account for the final 5–2 score. Josie Welch scored both East Columbus goals assisted by Harmony Somerville.