DUBLIN — Rivals East Bladen and West Bladen played to an 8-8 knot in the first game of a Dixie Youth Pre-Majors double-header on Wednesday before the Eagles came back to win the nightcap, 10-6.

The Knights are now 3-4-2 in the summer season, while East Bladen improved to 2-0-2.

In the opener, the Eagles took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on a West Bladen error, but the Knights responded in the home half when Logan West, Jarrett Williams and Trent West all singled to tie the game at 1-1.

West Bladen erupted for five runs in the second inning behind two East Bladen errors, a two-run single by Weston Pidgeon, RBI single by Logan West and an RBI fielder’s choice by Williams for a 6-1 edge.

The Eagles came right back with three runs in the third behind a double from Kyle Tatum and two-run single by Devon Stocks, followed by a West Bladen error that scored Stocks to pull East Bladen to within 6-4.

In the fourth frame, East Bladen scored three more times to take a 7-6 lead when Sincere Smith walked, stole the next two bases and scored on a sac fly by Tatum; Stocks then stroked a double and a pair of Knights errors helped bring home two more runs.

Caleb Sholar opened West Bladen’s half of the inning with a single, stole second, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a single by Pidgeon to knot the game at 7-7.

East Bladen went up 8-7 in the fifth when Smith doubled, stole third and came home when the throw went into the outfield. But West Bladen tied the game in the home half when Williams and Trent West singled and, moments later, Trent West scored on a wild pitch.

Smith took the win on the hill for East, going all five innings and fanning six. Ian Sykes went four frames for West and Trey Storms finished up on the mound.

In the second game, East Bladen took a 2-0 lead in the first behind RBI from Xavier Wooten and Greyson Heustess, but the Knights came right back to tie the game in the bottom of the first on RBI by Trent West and Scott Bowen.

The Eagles exploded for six runs in the second on RBI from Tatum and Stocks, along with a West Bladen error and three wild pitches for an 8-2 lead.

The Knights got a run back in the bottom of the inning when Sykes singled and came around to score on a wild pitch.

East Bladen answered with a run in the third behind a single by Smith, two hit batters and a sacrifice fly by Watkins, then added a run in the fourth on a fielder’s choice for a 10-3 lead.

West came back with three runs in the home half of the fourth behind an East Bladen error, RBI single by Logan West and RBI single by Trent West. But the game was called due to lateness.

Watkins got the win for the Eagles, going the distance and striking out three. Williams took the loss for West, going two innings and getting relieved by Storms.

Staff report