East Bladen Baseball Shuts Out West Columbus to Sweep Season Series

Elizabethtown, NC - East Bladen delivered a clutch defensive performance on Thursday evening, edging out West Columbus 1-0 to complete the season sweep and continue building momentum in the 1A/2A Waccamaw Conference race.

With the win, the Eagles move to 7-7 overall and 6-4 in conference play, winning six of their last eight.

The game’s lone run came in the bottom of the fifth inning. Jayce Hatcher reached base and advanced into scoring position, setting up Braylon Cromartie, who delivered a well-placed sacrifice fly to right field. Hatcher tagged up and scored on the play, giving East Bladen all the offense they would need.

Hatcher was a steady presence at the plate, drawing two walks and scoring the deciding run. Cromartie’s productive out didn’t go unnoticed either, tallying the game’s only RBI.

Colton Daly and Zach Sholar each added a hit, while Aiden Hargrove and Isaiah Lee worked walks to help put pressure on West Columbus throughout the night.

But the spotlight belonged to Davion Lewis, who pitched a complete-game gem. Lewis scattered five hits over seven innings, striking out six and walking three, all while keeping West Columbus off the scoreboard. His poise on the mound anchored the Eagles’ effort, especially in late innings when every pitch carried weight.

The win gives East Bladen a crucial leg up in the conference standings over West Columbus (4-4 in Waccamaw play), especially with playoff seeding implications in the 1A East classification.

With just a few games remaining, the focus shifts to next week’s pivotal matchup against Whiteville — one of the top-ranked 2A teams in the East.

East Bladen will need to continue their strong play to secure favorable positioning as the postseason approaches.

East Bladen Baseball Shuts Out West Columbus to Sweep Season Series