West Bladen Softball Comes Up Just Short in Narrow 6-5 Loss to St. Pauls

Austin Smith
Mar 26
2 min read

St. Paul's, NC - The West Bladen Lady Knights nearly completed a late-game comeback Tuesday night, but ultimately fell just short in a 6-5 road loss to St. Pauls in their conference opener.

The game, held at St. Pauls High School, saw West Bladen battle back in the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings, keeping fans on edge until the final out with the tying run stranded on first base.

Freshman Ashley Hickman continued to impress at the plate, scoring two runs and collecting two hits to help spark the Knights’ offense.

Junior Kali Allen also had a productive day with two hits, an RBI, and a walk, providing a steady presence in the lineup.

Senior Martha Walters crossed the plate for a key run, while fellow senior Marlene Crabtree chipped in with a hit and a run scored.

Crabtree also led the way in the circle, pitching six strong innings. She allowed just five hits and four earned runs while striking out three in a gritty performance.

Junior Natalie Sykes had a solid all-around outing, tallying two hits, scoring a run, and swiping a base to keep the pressure on the St. Pauls defense.

Senior Laci Buffkin reached base with a walk, and senior Holland Davis added a hit of her own to the effort.

Freshman Addison Wilcox drove in a run with a timely plate appearance, and senior Lauren Douglas displayed patience with a walk that helped extend a key inning.

With the loss, West Bladen moves to 3-5 overall and 0-1 in conference play.

The Lady Knights will look to bounce back Friday evening when they host St. Pauls for a rematch on their home field.

Inning 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R

West Bladen - 1 0 0 0 1 2 0 5

St. Paul's - 3 0 0 1 2 0 - 6

West Bladen Softball Comes Up Just Short in Narrow 6-5 Loss to St. Pauls