Hobbton’s Gage Herring dives back to avoid a pick-off at first base. Leopard Chandler Honeycutt holds him on the bag.

Lakewood got by Hobbton’s baseball, team spoiling their senior night, with a 4-3 win in the 9 innings on Thursday night at HHS.

Coach Les Spell said, “Gage Herring did a great job for us on the mound pitching 8 1/3 innings with 9 strikeouts and 3 walks. I’m real proud of the way the team has played this year. We got a whole lot better from the beginning to the end of the season. I expect big things out of these boys next year.”

For the Wildcats, Hunter Britt was 1-3 with a double and 3 RBI’s. Mason Wilson was 1-3 with a double and Michael Bass, on his senior night, was 1-3. The Wildcats only lose 1 senior.

Lakewood got 2 runs in the 3rd inning, 1 in the 5th and 1 in the 9th. The run from the ninth inning came from a hit, bunt, and single by the Leopard offensive regime.

Matt Butler pitched the first four innings for Lakewood, then Zack Tanner came in to pitch the final five, earning the win.

“We are starting to figure things out,” said Lakewood’s head coach, Raymond Spell following the win. “We are optimistic about receiving a playoff berth, it depends on what happens in the Princeton and North Duplin game that will be played on Saturday. If Princeton wins, we are in, if not there will be a coin flip to decide who makes it,” explained the second year head coach of LHS.

Lakewood finished tied for fourth in the conference, that is the last playoff spot available from the Carolina 1-A conference.