BLADENBORO — The midseason slump appears to be over for the West Bladen baseball team.
Tuesday night, the Knights won their fourth straight and set their sights on moving up in the Southeastern Conference standings.
J.T. Hepler blasted a home run over the right field fence and drove in four runs while Tyler Lewis struck out 10 as West Bladen rolled past Red Springs 12-2 in a high school game stopped in the fifth inning because of the 10-run rule.
“I really needed it,” Hepler said of his homer and 3-for-4 performance as the leadoff batter. “It’s a big comeback from the past few games. I haven’t been swinging it well. I was something like 0-for-8. As a team, we played well tonight. We hit the ball.”
Master sports schedule | Standings
The Knights (12-6, 2-3 Southeastern) are coming off winning the Randy Ledford Memorial Easter tournament last week at South View High School, beating Cape Fear 5-4 in the title game. West Bladen lost five of six games prior to spring break.
“It feels great,” said Hepler, who has committed to play collegiately at Fayetteville Tech, “especially coming out after beating Cape Fear. That was a good school, good team and just a good win.”
Lewis, who has committed to play at Southeastern Community College, was in control all the way. He struck out two Red Springs batters in each inning, allowed three hits and walked only one in going the distance.
“Every time (Tyler) gets on the mound it seems like he’s got double digit strikeouts,” West Bladen coach Bladen Strickland said. “I’m very proud of that young man.”
Lewis also went 3-for-4 at the plate. Daniel Bryan and Jackson Smith had two hits each. Ashton Davis, Hunter Hester and Chase Bryan also had hits.
West Bladen blew open the game with a seven run fourth inning that made it 10-1.
Weston Hilburn walked, Smith was hit by a pitch and Daniel Bryan singled to load the bases. Aiden Trinidad was hit by a pitch that forced in the first run of the inning for the Knights. Hepler followed with a two-run single to center that put West Bladen ahead 6-1.
Ashton Davis followed with an infield single and advanced to second on a throwing error that scored Trinidad. A wild pitch plated another West Bladen run.
Singles by Lewis and Hester followed by Chase Bryan being hit by a pitch loaded the bases. After the second out, Smith singled to right that scored Lewis and Hester for the final runs of the rally.
Red Springs managed a run in the top of the fifth on a pair of doubles that made it 10-2.
The Knights ended it with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth. Trinidad walked, advanced to second on a wild pitch, stole third and scored on Hepler’s single to right. After an out, Lewis singled on a pop up that landed between the shortstop and left fielder that allowed Hepler to score following a throwing error that ended the game.