West Brunswick battled North Brunswick in the first game of the season on Friday night. The Trojans took a five-run lead into the seventh inning when the Scorpions used a three-run rally to get back in it, but Josh Cribb came on in relief to get out of the jam for West Brunswick in a 6-4 win.
Chandler Taylor hit a solo shot in the top of the first deep over the wall in left-center and knocked in leadoff man Erick Hill in the second with an RBI single to put West Brunswick in front early. Carson Tew picked up the win on the mound, while Hill finished with three runs scored as the table setter for the Trojans.
The senior right handed pitcher was economical with his pitches and allowed just one run on seven hits in six innings of work. Cribb was called in out of the bullpen with runners on in the seventh to get out of trouble and picked up the save.
Shelton Perkins, Garrett Scoggins and Jared Strange each had extra base hits to lead North Brunswick.
The Scorps had something going to start the top of the fifth when Perkins led of the inning with a double, but he was thrown out at the plate on a perfect relay after Scoggins ripped a ball into the gap during the next at bat.
Brett Babson quickly retrieved the ball from the foot of the wall and hit the relay man-shortstop Matt Wallace-who threw a dart from shallow left field to catcher Hunter Ashburn to get the out on a 7-6-2 play in the book.
Box score R H E
N. Brunswick 000 010 3 4 8 6 W. Brunswick 212 100 X 6 7 1
Ashley 4 Pender 0
Ashley picked up its second win in as many days as Noah Borntager allowed just one hit and struck out seven in five innings to lead the Eagles past Pender 4-0 on Friday.
Trevor Price came on and threw two scoreless innings of relief to record the save, while Donovan Francis wet 2-for-3 at the plate with a double. Dakota Perryman also had 2 RBI in the win.
The Eagles return to the ballpark with a date against West Carteret next week.
Pender 000 000 0 0 1 3
Ashley 102 010 X 4 5 2
WP: Noah Borntrager (1-0)
LP: Powell
2B: Donovan Francis (A)
Whiteville 6 New Hanover 3
Zack Pait got the win for Whiteville, while Trey Croom was saddled with the loss for New Hanover, who fell to 1-1 on the year. The Wildcats scored three runs on eight hits as Croom and Ward Coleman both went 2-for-3 at the plate. Fulton Hill also had two hits to lead the New Hanover offense.
The Wildcats play Pender at home on Monday, March 3. First pitch is set for 5 p.m. at Legion Stadium.
Jacksonville 5 Laney 2
South Brunswick 11 South Columbus 5
With the game tied 5-5 in the top of the fifth, South Brunswick rallied for six runs in the bottom of the frame to pick up an 11-5 win in the Cougars’ season opener on Friday.
Softball
Ashley 6 South View 5
Ashley used some late inning heroics by Schae Dickson and Jessica Stergakos as the Eagles rallied for four runs in their final at-bat to beat South View 6-5 to open the season.
Dickson and Stergakos both had two hits and drove in three runs apiece, while Lauren Brooks paced the Ashley offense with a 2-for-3 night at the plate. Dickson had two doubles and Sarah Horrell picked up the win on the mound.
Trailing 5-2 in the bottom the seventh, Dickson recorded a 2 RBI extra base hit and Stergakos knocked in the game-winning runs with a single to seal the victory.
The Lady Eagles (1-0) get back into action at South View on Tuesday, March 3.
Whiteville 20 New Hanover 2
Junior Alex Simmons accounted for two of the Lady Wildcats four hits in her three at-bats, but took the loss on the mound as New Hanover committed five errors to supplement nine Wolfpack hits in a 20-2 loss to Whiteville (1-0).
The same two teams will meet again Wednesday, March 5 in Whiteville.
Topsail 7 Trask 5 (Thursday)
