BOILING SPRING LAKE – West Bladen exploded for 12 runs in the fifth inning to open their season with a 14-4 mercy-rule non-conference softball victory over South Brunswick Tuesday night.
The Lady Cougars capitalized on 2 hits, 2 errors and a walk to score 4 first inning runs and led 4-0 until the fourth inning. “Tough first inning,” said Lady Knight Coach Joey Autry. “We put the ball in play the first couple of innings and finally broke through.”
West Bladen cracked 3 hits in the first 3 innings but were scoreless until sophmore Carley Dawson belted a single to right-centerfield leading off the fourth inning.
Dawson raced home when senior Kathryn Schultz reached base on an error. Sophmore Conner Brisson smacked a single, and an error on the play plated Schultz and sliced the lead to 4-2.
Senior Kassidy Anderson walked and stole second to begin the fifth inning. Senior Laikyn Pait reached base on an error, and Dawson walked to load the bases. Senior pitcher Sophia Singletary slammed a double that scored Anderson and Pait to tie the game.
Junior Anna Moser hammered a double that scored Carley Dawson and courtesy runner Abby Dawson and put the Lady Knights ahead 6-4. Schultz walked and stole a base. Brisson reached on an error that scored Moser.
Anderson walked, and senior Alanna Ludlum cracked a single that scored Schultz. Pait belted a single that drove in Brisson. Carley Dawson walloped a bases-clearing double that scored Anderson, Ludlum and Pait and stretched the lead to 12-4.
Singletary clubbed a single, and Moser walked. Freshman Kyla Reed knocked in courtesy runner Abby Dawson with a double, and the inning ended on the play when Moser was thrown out at the plate.
Ludlum batted 3-4 with a run batted in and a run scored to lead the West offense. Carley Dawson finished 2-3 at the plate with a double, 3 rbi’s and 3 runs scored. Moser was 2-3 with a double, 2 rbi’s and a run scored.
Singletary batted 2-4 with a double, 2 rbi’s and 2 runs scored. Pait finished 2-4 at the plate with 2 runs scored. Reed doubled in a run and scored one. Brisson singled and scored a run. Schultz and Anderson scored 2 runs each.
Singletary gave up 4 hits, walked two and struck out three to pick up the win. Only one of the four South Brunswick runs was earned.
The Lady Knights will travel to Whiteville Friday for a 6 p.m. game.
About Author
