BLADENBORO — Tyler Lewis pitched into the sixth inning and drove home the tying run Friday night in sparking West Bladen to a 4-2 win against Wake Prep Academy in the second round of the N.C. High School Athletic Association 3A baseball playoffs.
Lewis, a left-handed senior, struck out six, walked a batter, allowed five hits and an earned run in 5.2 innings to get the win before yielding to fireballer J.T. Hepler, who recorded the save with four consecutive strikeouts.
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West Bladen (18-7) is scheduled to play at Southeastern Conference rival Whiteville (16-6) in the third round Tuesday. The Wolfpack’s Ty’Lae Rose scored on a wild pitch with two outs in the bottom of the seventh for a 3-2 win against Providence Grove.
Whiteville went 10-0 in the Southeastern Conference, which included wins of 12-2 and 8-4 against West Bladen in late March.
Aidan Trinidad went 2-for-3 to lead the West Bladen offense. Gaston Russ, Hunter Hester and Lewis each had a hit.
West Bladen scored in the first inning when Lewis drew a one-out walk, advanced to third when Ashton Davis reached on an error by the left fielder and scored on Hester’s sacrifice fly to right.
Wake Prep took a 2-1 lead in the third. Nate Martin was hit by a pitch, advanced to second on Garrett Watkins infield single, went to third when Tyson Spencer reached on an error and scored on a sacrifice bunt by Ethan Hernandez. Spencer also scored on the play on a throwing error.
The Guardians maintained the lead until the fifth when West Bladen plated three runs.
The rally began with a single by Gaston Russ, who went to second on a wild pitch. After the next two batters were retired on pop outs, Lewis lined a single that scored Russ with the tying run. Lewis went to second on the throw home, then courtesy runner Ryan Dove scored on a pair of wild pitches that gave the Knights a 3-2 lead. Davis walked, went to second on a wild pitch and scored on Hester’s double for the final run.
Hepler retired the side in order in the seventh at about the same time Whiteville was winning its game against Providence Grove to set up the third meeting between the teams this season.
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