HobbsDailyReport.com
SD-7 2A STANDINGS
(through Wednesday)
*E. Lincoln 10-3
Bunker Hill 8-5
Maiden 8-5
W. Caldwell 8-5
Lincolnton 7-6
W. Lincoln 6-7
Bandys 3-10
Newton-Con. 2-11
DENVER, N.C. – No one could likely put it any better than Maiden High head baseball coach David Williams did in a brief report e-mailed after the Blue Devils won 6-2 on Wednesday night at league-leading East Lincoln.
“O’brien does it again,” was Williams’ single comment, referring to pitcher Caden O’brien pitching Maiden past East Lincoln.
O’brien, the most dominant pitcher in the Southern District 7 Athletic 2A this season, threw 6 2/3 innings, allowing East Lincoln only four hits, two runs (one earned) with one walk and 10 strikeouts.
He also went 2-for-4 with Dylan Landis, Taylor Tibbs and J.R. McRee driving in a run each as Maiden improved to 12-8-1 overall and 8-5 in the league.
The Blue Devils’ victory would have taken the chase for an SD-7 2A title to the final playing date, but Lincolnton knocked off second-place West Caldwell 3-1 in Lenoir on Wednesday.
Those results left East Lincoln (10-3) as the regular season winner with West Caldewll, Bunker Hill and Maiden all at 8-5 and sharing second place.
The SD-7 2A plays a 14-game schedule.
Trevor Childers took the loss for the Mustangs, who used six pitchers. He went 4 2/3 innings, giving up four runs (two earned).
East Lincoln led 2-0 until the fourth inning, when the Blue Devils scored a run. Maiden had a three-run fifth inning to go up 4-2.
Maiden closes the regular season on Friday at 7 p.m. at home, facing Lincolnton, and the Mustangs close out on the road on Friday at 7 p.m. at West Lincoln.
East Lincoln will have the No. 1 seed for next week’s SD-7 2A tournament, which begins at the highest seeds, and will play a home game against No. 8 seed Newton-Conover.