ELIZABETHTOWN — Jenna Brice pitched a no-hitter and struck out nine as East Bladen routed Union 15-0 Tuesday in the first round of the N.C. High School Athletic Association 2A softball playoffs. The game was halted in the fourth inning because of the run rule.
The 13th-seeded Eagles (9-12) are scheduled to play at fourth-seeded East Carteret (14-5) on Friday in the second round.
Master sports schedule | Standings
East Bladen’s third win against Union (4-13) was similar to the Carolina Conference meetings during the season. The Eagles won 16-1 and 17-6.
Taylor Dowless had two hits and Niyah Wooten had a hit and drove home three runs to lead East Bladen. Gracey Edwards, Tatum Allen and Brice each had a hit. Union pitching walked 11 batters and its defense committed four errors.
The Eagles scored four runs in the first inning, three in the second, five in the third and three in the fourth. The game ended when Wooten flew out to left and Edwards scored on an error that made it 15-0.
3A: Greene Central 5, West Bladen 3
In Bladenboro, Greene Central scored three runs in the seventh inning to rally and beat West Bladen in the first round of the 3A playoffs.
Greene Central, the No. 17 seed in the 24-team East bracket, advanced to play at top-seeded Midway scheduled Friday. West Bladen entered as the No. 16 seed.
Abigail Dew and Brenna Hester each had two hits for West Bladen (9-12). Addison Wilcox and Maycee Kinlaw had doubles while Jahyrah Priest, Allison Hickman, Kali Allen each had singles.
West Bladen scored twice in the second inning. Dew and Hester opened with singles.Dew scored on a passed ball. Priest followed with a sacrifice fly to right that scored Hester.
Greene Central tied it in the top of the fourth, but West Bladen regained the lead with a run in the bottom of the fourth. Hickman reached on a bunt single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Allen and scored when Wilcox rapped a line double to left.
Greene Central’s seventh-inning rally began when, with one out, Macy Anderson reached on catcher’s interference. Azaria Mumford and Sam Martinez followed with singles that tied it at 3-all. After the second out, Anna Grace Tillman singled home Mumford. Martinez scored on a passed ball.
Kinlaw opened the West Bladen seventh with a double, but the next three batters were retired.
NCHSAA Softball Playoffs
Tuesday, May 5
2A: East Bladen 15, Union 0
3A: Greene Central 5, West Bladen 3
2A: West Columbus 29, Northampton County 1
2A: Lakewood at Lejeune
1A: East Columbus 26, North Edgecombe 0
3A: South Columbus 15, Wilson Beddingfield 0
4A: Red Springs at Uwharrie Charter
4A: Fairmont at Eden Morehead
Friday, May 8
2A: East Bladen at East Carteret
2A: West Columbus at North Duplin
1A: North East Carolina Prep at East Columbus
5A: Currituck County at South Brunswick
3A South Columbus at Heide Trask
3A: Greene Central at Midway
NCHSAA Baseball Playoffs
Tuesday, May 5
2A: East Bladen 10, West Columbus 0
2A: North Duplin 10, Eno River Academy 0
2A: Lakewood 6, Chocowinity Southside 4
1A: East Columbus 10, Mattamuskeet 0
3A: South Columbus 21, James Kenan 3
4A: Roanoke Rapids 7, Fairmont 6
4A: Anson 5, Red Springs 2
Friday, May 8
3A: Wake Prep Academy at West Bladen
2A: East Bladen at American Leadership Academy Johnston
2A North Duplin at Voyager Academy
2A: Gates County at Hobbton
2A: Lakewood at Manteo
1A: East Columbus at Southeast Collegiate
3A: Providence Grove at Whiteville
3A: South Columbus at McMichael
5A: Pittsboro Seaforth at South Brunswick