West Bladen Baseball Shuts Out Red Springs on Senior Night, But Playoff Picture Still a Puzzle

West Bladen baseball team photo.

Bladenboro , NC - On a special night filled with celebration and dominance, West Bladen delivered a statement. The Knights rolled to a 10-0 win over Red Springs on Wednesday, improving to 15-4 overall and 7-2 in Southeastern Athletic Conference (SAC 6) play.

The victory was meaningful not just for the standings, but for the seniors who were honored before first pitch. Garrett Dunham, Aiden Russ, Allister Russ, Brady Durden, Luke Pait, and Cade Allen were recognized for their leadership, commitment, and impact on the program. And fittingly, each of them played a key role in the win.

West Bladen’s win keeps them in a three-way tie with Midway and Clinton, all locked at 7-2 in SAC 6 play heading into Friday’s regular-season finales.

West Bladen will be looking forward to the Friday matchup at Red Springs, as the East Bladen game was canceled due to the unknown circumstances with a tie breaker scenario that would require East Bladen and East Columbus to play a tie breaker game to determine the top 1A Seed from the Waccamaw Conference for the playoffs.

In some previous articles, I mentioned that RPI (Ratings Percentage Index) was the sole tiebreaker used to determine playoff seeding.

That wasn’t quite accurate but that is what you get when you work based off of assumpsions and skim the handbook. 😂

So here’s a correction and a clearer breakdown of what could happen:

Scenario 1: Three-Way Tie

If Clinton, Midway, and West Bladen all win on Friday, each finishes 8-2. Since they all split with one another during the regular season, head-to-head or performance against other conference opponents doesn’t resolve anything.

The next step? RPI rankings. I was partially right but had the order wrong.

This system, used by the NCHSAA for playoff seeding, factors in a team’s winning percentage, opponents’ record, and opponents’ opponents’ record.

As of 7 a.m. Wednesday, April 30: West Bladen is ranked #1 in the 2A East RPI, Midway is #3 and Clinton sits at #8.

In this scenario, West Bladen would claim the top conference seed and the automatic playoff spot due to their higher RPI.

Scenario 2: Two-Way Tie

If one of the three teams loses on Friday and the other two win, we’re left with a two-way tie at the top.

In that case, a special playoff game may be played to determine the higher seed — unless the teams agree to break the tie by other means, such as RPI or another AGREED upon criteria.

Scenario 3: One Team Stands Alone

If only one team wins Friday while the other two lose, that team will be crowned the outright conference champion, and no tiebreaker would be needed.

Did that make your head hurt? Because it sure did with mine...but since that is out of the way, let's get to the good stuff.

From the opening pitch, West Bladen played with energy, discipline, and confidence — and their seniors led the way.

Cade Allen sparked the offense with a single and a double, bringing in two runs and scoring twice.

Garrett Dunham was all over the field — collecting a double, an RBI, two runs scored, and a walk — while making three put outs, one assist, and turning a double play on defense.

Aiden Russ reached base with a single, scored a run, and closed the game on the mound with a dominant inning, striking out all three batters he faced.

Allister Russ added a double and an RBI at the plate and contributed with two put outs and an assist in the field.

Brady Durden took the mound to start the game and was lights out, tossing three scoreless innings with two hits, no walks, and three strikeouts. He also reached base after being hit by a pitch and came around to score.

Luke Pait made the most of his time defensively, recording two clean put outs.

It was a night that honored their contributions — and they answered with poise and performance.

Beyond the seniors, the rest of the team stepped up too. JT Hepler stayed hot at the plate with two singles, driving in two runs and stealing two bases.

Hunter Hester had a productive game as well, reaching base three times (via a double, walk, and hit-by-pitch), scoring twice, swiping a bag, and picking up an RBI.

Ashton Davis added a single and reached once more on an error, while Jonah Bryan came in as a pinch runner and scored.

Weston Hilburn drew a walk in two plate appearances and was steady in the field with three put outs. Josh Dawson had one at-bat and handled three put outs on defense.

In the fourth inning, Garrett Dunham took over on the mound and pitched a clean frame, working around two walks. Then in the fifth, Aiden Russ slammed the door shut with three straight strikeouts.

West Bladen did exactly what they needed to on senior night — they honored their veterans, delivered a statement win, and kept their conference title hopes alive.

What happens next depends on Friday at Red Springs, and the two games being played on Friday.

Whether it’s a clean finish, a two-way tiebreaker, or a three-team RPI decision, the Knights have put themselves in the best possible position heading into the postseason.

And if their performance Wednesday is any indication, they’ll be ready for whatever scenario unfolds.

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West Bladen Baseball Shuts Out Red Springs on Senior Night, But Playoff Picture Still a Puzzle