CERRO GORDO — East Bladen took early leads of 1-0 and 3-2, but couldn’t hold on Tuesday against West Columbus, dropping a 5-4 verdict in Dixie Pre-Majors summer baseball action.
The loss drops the Eagles to 4-3 this season.
East Bladen got on the board first with a run in the top of the first inning when Sincere Smith opened the game with a single, got sacrificed to second and scored on a single by Kyle Tatum.
The Vikings knotted the game then took a 2-1 lead after two innings before the Eagles rallied for a pair of runs in the third inning. After a hit batter, Smith roped a double to put runners at second and third, and Devan Stocks laced a two-run single to give East Bladen a 3-2 edge.
The Eagles didn’t score again until the sixth inning, when Tatum reached on a single, stole both second and third bases, and came home on Xavier Wooten’s single.
But West Columbus managed to plate three runs late in the game and sealed the win.
East Bladen pitching allowed just five hits to the Vikings — Alex Coates got the start and went two innings, giving up just one hit; Wooten went the final four innings and gave up four hits, but took the loss.
Smith led East Bladen at the plate, going 2-for-3 with the double, while Tatum was also 2-for-3 with an RBI and two stolen bases. Stocks had two RBI for the Eagles.
East Bladen is scheduled to play a double-header in Leland against North Brunswick on Thursday, starting at 5 p.m.