DUBLIN — Alanna Ludlum twirled a one-hitter Friday and the Lady Knights exploded for a 14-run second inning en route to an 18-0 thumping of visiting Clinton, securing West Bladen’s ninth straight win and the Four County Conference’s top seed among the Class 2-A teams.
The Lady Knights took a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Logan Autry doubled, Carley Dawson walked and Ludlum singled to fill the bases — followed by Laikyn Pait’s three-run triple. A wild pitch brought Pait home.
In the second, West Bladen batted around — twice – getting a two-run single by Ludlum, two RBI singles by Sophia Singletary, sacrifice flys by Conner Brisson and Pait, and an array of walks, wild pitches and errors to score 14 runs
When Clinton went quietly in the third, the game was called.
Ludlum was 2-for-2 with three RBI at the plate for West Bladen, while Singletary was 2-for-4 with two RBI and Pait had the triple and four RBI.
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Baseball
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— In Dublin on Friday, the Knights broke open a close game late and held on to hand visiting Clinton an 8-5 Four County Conference loss.
West Bladen plated three runs in the first inning behind an RBI groundout by Chandler Lennon, an RBI double by Jarrett Williams and a wild pitch for a 3-0 lead.
The Knights added a run in the second on a singles by Ray Jones, Troy Edge and Weston Pidgeon.
But the Dark Horses scored three times in the fourth and knotted the game at 4-4 in the fourth before West Bladen went to work again.
The Knights scored twice in the fifth with two outs when a hit batter and a single by Jones put two runners on, followed by a two-run triple by Edge for a 6-4 lead.
In the home sixth, West Bladen got a single from Lennon ahead of an RBI triple by Trent West — who came home when the throw to third went awry for an 8-4 cushion.
Clinton threatened in the seventh, loading the bases with one out, but only nicked the Knights for one run.
Lennon earned the win on the hill by going 6.1 innings and giving up four hits, six walks and striking out six. Jeremy Hunt finished up for West Bladen.
At the plate, Edge was 2-for-3 with the triple and two RBI; Pidgeon was 2-for-3 with an RBI; Williams was 2-for-4 with a double and RBI; West had a triple and RBI; and Jones was 2-for-3.