BLADEN COUNTY — The season is coming down to the wire with three weeks left in the 2023 baseball and softball season. Both Bladen county schools have tough schedules going down the stretch and will be tested these last few weeks on the diamond before the start of postseason play. The Midway Raiders sit in first place of the SAC 7 Conference standings with a 7-1 record. West Bladen’s softball team sits in second place of the SAC 7 standings with a perfect 6-0 conference record and they’re two games behind the leaders, Midway.

West Bladen Baseball

BLADENBORO — The West Bladen Knights have been playing excellent baseball this season and they currently sit in third place in the SAC 7 standings. The Knights have vastly improved from last season and they’ve pulled out some close games to be where they are now. Sophomore ace Brady Durden has been an important component of the Knights pitching staff this season. Durden has the most appearances for the Knights, with a 3-2 on the season and he has an era of 1.70 to help his team maneuver through the gauntlet of the SAC 7. Durden has over 40 strikeouts in over 33 innings pitched throughout the year.

Senior Bryce Fuller’s arm is used mainly in relief but he has been a solid option out of the bullpen this season. Another important player for the Knights this season is sophomore Garrett Dunham with his contribution of hits and pitching.

West Bladen swept the East Bladen Eagles and then took two straight losses to Fairmont before the Easter break. The last six games for the Knights will be against conference opponents–Red Springs, St. Pauls, and Midway. St. Pauls is tied for third place with West Bladen and they will go head-to-head next week. Red Springs are in last place and the Knights will take them on in an home-and-away series this week.

East Bladen Baseball

ELIZABETHTOWN — The East Bladen Eagles have an overall record of 6-9 and a 2-4 record in the SAC 7. The Eagles record doesn’t tell the complete story after falling against some tough opponents but they’re starting to play some of their best baseball. They lost some heartbreakers to Midway and West Bladen in the first few weeks of the season. During their series with Clinton, they showed their absolute best with dominant victories. Inconsistency has been plaguing them but they showed a different side of their game last week in a tournament highlighted with solid pitching, home runs, and sheer will to win.

Great performances at the Terry Sanford Easter Classic will give them added confidence going down the stretch, especially after pushing a 17-3 Terry Sanford team down to the last inning. East Bladen will take on Fairmont, Red Springs, and St. Pauls in a home-and-away series for their last few conference games. They will take a road trip to South Brunswick in a non-conference match-up in between their hectic conference schedule in the coming weeks.

West Bladen Softball

BLADENBORO — The West Bladen Lady Knights have been running through their SAC 7 Conference schedule with a perfect 6-0 start. They’re coming off their Spring Break on a 4 game win streak and will restart play against West Brunswick away from home in a non-conference match-up. The Lady Knights defense has smothered their opponents lineup and their opponents averaging a little under 4.46 runs a game. They’ve only given up eight runs in six conference games so far and senior ace Rylee Chadwick command in the center circle has been a contributor to the Lady Knights success.

West Bladen will take on Red Springs, St. Pauls, and Midway in a home-and-away series in the last few weeks of the season. The Lady Knights are currently chasing behind the 8-0 Midway Lady Raiders and their match-up in a couple weeks could decide first place depending on the result.

East Bladen Softball

ELIZABETHTOWN — The East Bladen Lady Eagles have had a tough season so far but will look to finish the season strong. The Lady Eagles went 1-2 in their Easter Tournament last week and will look to carry that momentum into the final weeks of the season. East Bladen will take on Fairmont, Red Springs, and St. Pauls in a home-and-away series for their last few conference games. Also, they will meet South Brunswick in between their series with Red Springs in the same week.

A string of victories could get the Lady Eagles back in the postseason conversation but they will have a tough road ahead with both Fairmont and St. Pauls above them in the standings. The Lady Eagles are led by their senior ace Karli Priest in the center circle and she provides a spark for them at the plate.