Blake Sandlin pushed the Crusaders to a one-run win over North Duplin Tuesday after batting in Graham Walker for the 5-4 finish.

Clinton High School’s annual Jimmy Raynor Easter Tournament began yesterday with the Harrells Christian Crusaders taking on the Rebels at 4:30 p.m.

North Duplin’s Marcus Kornegay started the game off for the Rebels after driving the ball out of the park in the first inning. Kornegay’s homer brought in Shayne Deaver, who was first in the lineup, for a 2-0 lead.

Following North Duplin’s two-run leap, Harrells’ head coach Winfred Johnson opted to take the Crusaders’ starting pitcher, Corby Allen, out of the game and bring relief pitcher Matt Maready in from the bullpen.

“Corby suffered an injury to his ribs earlier this season,” said Johnson, adding he was forced to pull him from the game rather than jeopardize the rest of the Crusaders’ season.

Maready, who did remain on the mound for the rest of the game, allowed three hits, gave up one run and struck out nine batters.

“Matt Maready did a fantastic job coming in and throwing a complete seven innings as the relief; that never happens,” Johnson praised.

Allen gave up three runs and Maready only one, allowing North Duplin to take a 4-0 lead by the end of the first inning.

Two rough innings for Harrells kept the team in the running for a shutout loss, but with North Duplin unable to generate any more runs, the Crusaders took advantage and made plays.

HCA scored one run in the third after Maready batted in Walker; one in the fourth off an out of the park homer by Connor Bullard; two runs in the fifth by Sandlin and Aaron Batts; and one run scored in the sixth by Walker, who was batted in by Sandlin.

At the plate, Sandlin was 4-4 with two RBIs and one run scored; Batts was 2-4 with an RBI and a run scored; and Bullard was 1-2 with a homer, Johnson highlighted.