The Clinton Dark Horses baseball team put together a complete week on the diamond, finishing 3-0 with two conference wins over the Pender Patriots and a rivalry victory against the Hobbton Wildcats.
Clinton opened the week with a dominant 13-2 win on March 17 in the 75th Sampson Regional Medical Center Anniversary Game, followed by a 5-3 road win over Hobbton on March 18, before rallying for a 9-5 comeback victory at Pender on March 20, improving their record to 7-2 on the year, and 2-0 in conference play.
3/17 — Clinton 13, Pender 2
Clinton set the tone early in its conference opener, using a strong performance on the mound and timely hitting to cruise past Pender.
The game also served as a special occasion, celebrating the 75th anniversary of Sampson Regional Medical Center, with Sampson County Schools executive director and Dark Horse alumna, Dr. Wendy Cabral, delivering the ceremonial first pitch.
On the mound, Roady Carter delivered a commanding performance, tossing five innings while striking out nine batters and allowing just four hits and two runs. His ability to control the strike zone and keep Pender off balance helped Clinton establish momentum early.
At the plate, Josh Slater led the offensive charge, going 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Clinton’s lineup showed depth throughout, consistently putting balls in play and capitalizing on scoring opportunities as the Dark Horses pulled away.
Clinton’s pitching staff controlled the game from the outset, while the offense continued to apply pressure inning after inning in a complete team effort.
3/18 — Clinton 5, Hobbton 3
In a county rivalry matchup, Clinton leaned on a strong outing from Henry Bass, who delivered a complete game on the mound to secure the win.
Bass went all seven innings, recording 10 strikeouts while consistently working ahead in counts and limiting Hobbton’s offensive rhythm.
“Getting seven innings from starters is always a good thing,” Clinton head coach Matthew DeLeone explained. “Like I said, he threw well, got outs. We made plays behind him for most of the game. I think he had 10 strikeouts, so that’s always a great thing.”
Clinton appeared in control for much of the contest before Hobbton made things interesting late.
“We were up going into the last inning, and we kind of kicked the ball around a little bit and gave them an opportunity to tie it up,” DeLeone noted.
Despite the late pressure, Bass maintained his composure and closed out the victory, showcasing both endurance and command.
“Preparing early is the key to having success now, especially pitching-wise,” DeLeone added. “Having arms ready to go, having the ability to throw 105 pitches in the game now is why we’ve been successful so far.”
3/20 — Clinton 9, Pender 5
Clinton completed the week sweep of Pender with a resilient road win, overcoming an early deficit to secure the victory.
After falling behind 5-1 in the early innings, the Dark Horses responded with a steady offensive push and improved defensive play to turn the game around.
“That’s the same thing that happened with Pender,” DeLeone said. “We didn’t make plays behind our pitcher in the first couple innings… and after the second inning we were down 5-1. We had to kind of scratch our way back and get into the game.”
Clinton’s pitching staff adjusted as the game progressed, with Josh Slater and Tyler Hall sharing duties on the mound. Slater struck out eight batters across four innings, while Hall added four strikeouts over three innings to help stabilize the game and keep Pender within reach.
At the plate, Hall delivered one of the biggest performances of the week, going 3-for-4 with five RBIs to power Clinton’s comeback effort.
The comeback highlighted Clinton’s ability to respond under pressure and produce offensively when needed most.
“Well, I tell them all the time, if we can’t make plays behind our pitcher, we’ve got to hit the ball a little bit better,” DeLeone added.
Pitching depth is proving key to this season for the Dark Horses.
Through three games in five days, Clinton’s depth on the mound played a major role in the unbeaten week.
“That’s the main key, is having enough arms to get through it,” DeLeone explained. “That’s the toughest thing about coaching through a three-game week — making sure you have arms available with the pitch count.”
DeLeone emphasized the importance of managing pitch counts and spreading innings across multiple pitchers.
“Having six arms that we use, we’ve spread out innings across all six arms… we’re able to have three-game weeks,” he said. “But just making plays behind them is the biggest thing.”
Looking ahead
Clinton now turns its attention to a key conference test against the South Lenoir Blue Devils, with games scheduled for March 24 and March 27.
“They’re going to be good. They played in the state championship last year,” DeLeone said. “Like I’ve said all year long, if we can make plays behind our pitchers and make the plays we’re supposed to make, we’re going to have a chance to win the game.”
With both teams entering the week among the conference contenders, the series could have major implications moving forward.
“South Lenoir is going to be really good,” DeLeone continued. “If we can play clean baseball and put the ball in play, we’ll have a chance.”
Clinton’s 3-0 week not only builds momentum but also reinforces a clear formula for success — strong pitching depth, timely hitting, and minimizing defensive mistakes — as the Dark Horses head into one of their toughest stretches of the season.