HOLLY RIDGE — A strong pitching performance by Scott Bowen against the co-champions of the East Central Conference on Wednesday kept West Bladen in a scoreless knot with Dixon, but the Bulldogs loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh and got a walk-off single to take a 1-0 win in the opening round of the state’s Class 2-A baseball playoffs.

The loss ends the Knights’ season at 13-10.

West Bladen threatened in the top of the first, putting two runners on with just one out. But back-to-back strikeouts snuffed the uprising.

In the fifth frame, Dixon put a runner in scoring position, only to have the runner thrown out at the plate on a throw from center field by Jonathan Ashworth.

After a quiet sixth inning, the Knights had two base runners reach with one out in the top of the seventh. But a line drive out turned into a double-play to end the threat.

That set up the Bulldogs’ game-winner.

An infield hit started the rally and, after a bunt, an walk followed to put runners at second and third. Another bunt moved the runners up, and the batter reached when the fielder couldn’t complete the throw to load the bases. West Bladen pulled its infield and outfield in, but Dixon got a fly ball that dropped beyond the outfielder’s head for the win.

At the plate for the Knights, Logan West had two of West Bladen’s two hits.

Staff report