Baseball Game Preview: Clinton Dark Horses vs. East Bladen Eagles

The Clinton Dark Horses will square off against the East Bladen Eagles at 6:00 p.m. on Monday. Clinton is coming into the match hot, having won their last seven games.

Clinton picked up another tournament win on Tuesday. They put the hurt on Harrells Christian Academy with a sharp 14-4 victory. The result was nothing new for the Dark Horses, who have now won eight contests by six runs or more so far this season.

Jaxson Smith made a splash while hitting and pitching. He struck out 11 batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned (and three unearned) runs off six hits (and not a single walk). He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, going 3-for-5 with three RBI, one stolen base, and one run.

In other batting news, Brennon Bell was incredible, getting on base in four of his five plate appearances with four runs and two stolen bases. That's the most runs he has posted since back in May of 2024. Another player making a difference was Cooper Sessoms, who went 2-for-5 with three RBI, one stolen base, and one run.

Meanwhile, East Bladen was able to grind out a solid win over Wake Christian Academy on Monday, taking the game 7-4.

Clinton pushed their record up to 15-4 with the victory, which was their 12th straight at home dating back to last season. Those home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.6 runs over those games. As for East Bladen, they are on a roll lately: they've won six of their last eight games. That's provided a nice bump to their 10-9 record this season.

Clinton took their victory against East Bladen in their previous meeting back in April of 2024 by a conclusive 12-5 score. Do the Dark Horses have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Eagles turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.