Clinton defeated the East Bladen Eagles Tuesday 10-9 in women’s softball, pulling together as a team and putting a bright spot in an otherwise tough season for the Lady Dark Horses.

East Bladen set the pace early on with a one-run lead in the beginning of the game that was matched by their strong defense against Clinton’s batters, leaving the scoreboard at 1-0 entering the second inning.

Taking home plate twice in a strong play finished out by Majesti Corbett, the Lady Eagles set a solid lead of 3-0 going into the bottom of the inning. In a season-stirring shakeup for the Lady Dark Horses, however, the game quickly heated up. Clinton’s bats came to life in a four-run inning that gave them a sudden advantage of 4-3,

Their defense matched their unified offense in their return to the field for the third inning. East Bladen’s strong batters couldn’t break the sudden lead; resolving their defense in the inning’s bottom, however, Clinton couldn’t advance it either.

This changed in the fourth. Answering Clinton’s second-inning streak with a four-run gain to match, East Bladen seized the pace of the game with a newly mobilized offensive strategy. At bat, Clinton’s Lauryn Moore and Naomi Miller responded with two runs of their own before the bottom’s final out — even with a determined offense, the score slipped to 7-6 to East Bladen’s advantage.

The neck and neck pace held through the fifth. Lady Eagles’ Johanna Parker and Corbett once more took home to a run-less bottom inning for Clinton. The sixth? A quick turn of the tables and renewed morale lead Lady Dark Horses’ Moore and Keona Hill hitting back with a two-run gain in the bottom after a silent top for the visitors. Opening at 9-8 and favoring East Bladen, the top of the seventh unfolded into what would prove to be an explosive final inning. The Lady Eagles couldn’t break Clinton’s cohesive endgame defense. Now at bat with a silent possibility of extra innings if they could pull a run to tie, the Lady Dark Horses rose to the suspense of the occasion. The first run tied the game up before Deija Moore, with two outs, took home for the tiebreaker and the 10-9 victory.

“It was an exciting moment,” grinned Clinton Coach Todd Slater following the game. “We put everything together tonight. We never gave up and we never got down.”

With the loss for the Lady Eagles, they now have an overall record of 2-9 and a Four County Conference record of 1-5. Pender’s Lady Patriots will be travelling to East Bladen’s turf in Elizabethtown Thursday for another conference game.

Clinton’s win now sets their season at an overall of 2-9 and a conference score of 2-6. The Lady Dark Horses were to travel Wednesday for a rematch against the rival Lady Raiders, duking it out in what will be a home conference game for Midway.

Clinton’s DeKyla Moore steals second base as East Bladen’s baseman Johanna Parker awaits the throw.
https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/web1_Dekyla-Moore.jpgClinton’s DeKyla Moore steals second base as East Bladen’s baseman Johanna Parker awaits the throw.
Two runs in final inning seals comeback win

By Phoebe Martin

Sports Writer

Reach Sports Editor Daron Barefoot at [email protected].