West Bladen Blanks Midway, Enters Three-Way Tie Atop SAC 6

West Bladen baseball team photo.

Bladenboro, NC - West Bladen Baseball delivered a statement win Thursday night, shutting out Midway 5-0 at home and closing the regular season series on a high note after a narrow 7-5 road loss earlier in the week.

With the win, the Knights improve to 9-4 overall and 4-2 in Southeastern Athletic Conference play, creating a three-way tie for first place with Midway and Clinton, who each hold identical 4-2 conference records.

While Clinton still has a game to play Friday night against Red Springs, West Bladen has already strengthened its postseason position with a strong resume.

The Knights currently sit at No. 2 in the 2A East RPI rankings, ahead of Midway (No. 5) and Clinton (No. 13), meaning they would hold the tiebreaker if standings remain unchanged. However, with no conference tournament in SAC 6 baseball and several games still left to play, playoff seeding remains fluid. Big games are still left to determine the positioning.

Just one night after falling 8-7 in a back-and-forth contest against 2A East powerhouse Whiteville, the Knights responded with poise on both sides of the ball.

Brady Durden was lights out on the mound, tossing a complete game two-hit shutout. He didn’t allow a single walk and struck out three, controlling the Midway lineup from start to finish. His steady presence gave West Bladen the foundation they needed to let their offense find a rhythm.

The breakthrough came in the bottom of the fourth, when Cade Allen crossed the plate after a sharp double to left field by Hunter Hester, putting West Bladen on the board. Allen also contributed with a hit of his own earlier in the game, helping set the tone from the top of the order.

Garrett Dunham kept the pressure on in the fifth with a hit and run scored, eventually coming home on a hard-hit double by JT Hepler down the right field line. Hepler’s clutch RBI gave the Knights breathing room with a 2-0 lead.

West Bladen opened the floodgates in the sixth. After Hester recorded his second hit and scored his second run of the game on a single by Tyler Lewis, the offense stayed hot. Lewis, who finished the night with two hits and an RBI, would later score on a well-placed single by Jackson Smith.

Smith’s hit also brought in Allister Russ, who had reached earlier in the inning, giving West Bladen a commanding 5-0 advantage. Smith finished with a hit and two RBIs, while Russ also added a run and a base hit to the stat sheet.

Garrett Dunham chipped in offensively with a hit and a run, and Ashton Davis drew a walk to extend an inning in a key spot. Brady Durden not only dazzled on the mound but helped anchor the defense throughout.

The win was a full team effort, and it couldn’t have come at a more crucial time.

Now, with the regular season winding down and RPI rankings poised to shape playoff matchups, the Knights have made their case loud and clear—they belong in the postseason conversation, and they can beat quality teams when it matters most.

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West Bladen Blanks Midway, Enters Three-Way Tie Atop SAC 6