North Duplin’s Keiz Brock with a fast sprint. (Robert Taylor|mountolivetribune.com)
LA GRANGE — The North Duplin Rebels came out strong in the early innings against the South Lenoir Blue Devils but struggled to maintain momentum as defensive miscues and a powerful offensive surge from their opponent led to a 15-8 defeat.
Despite jumping out to an early lead, North Duplin couldn’t contain South Lenoir’s bats in the middle innings, as the Blue Devils erupted for 15 runs across the third and fourth frames. The Rebels showed resilience with a late push but were unable to mount a full comeback.
The game began as a defensive battle, with both teams held scoreless in the first inning. However, the Rebels struck first in the second, capitalizing on key hits and aggressive baserunning.
Senior Wesley Holmes led off the inning with a single before stealing second to put himself in scoring position. Sophomore Keiz Brock followed with another base hit, moving Holmes to third. North Duplin then executed a well-timed play as sophomore Noa Quintanilla drove in Holmes with an RBI single, putting the Rebels on the board.
With runners on the corners, Brock and Quintanilla executed a double steal, advancing into scoring position. A well-placed ground ball allowed Brock to score, extending North Duplin’s lead to 2-0. Later in the inning, a deep sacrifice fly brought Quintanilla home, pushing the Rebels’ lead to 3-0 before South Lenoir recorded the final out.
After holding South Lenoir scoreless again in the bottom of the second, North Duplin returned to the plate in the top of the third. Holmes again got things started, reaching base safely before stealing second. A groundout moved him to third, and Brock once again delivered, driving him home to make it 4-0 in favor of the Rebels.
Just as North Duplin appeared to be in control, South Lenoir found their offensive rhythm. In the bottom of the third, the Blue Devils strung together multiple hits, capitalizing on an infield miscue to load the bases. A two-run double put them on the board before another single brought in the tying run at 3-3.
North Duplin’s pitching tried to limit the damage, but South Lenoir’s relentless attack continued. A deep shot to left field brought in two more runs, and by the time the inning ended, the Rebels found themselves trailing 6-3.
Things spiraled further in the fourth inning. South Lenoir’s offense stayed hot, using a mix of walks, stolen bases, and timely hits to add nine more runs to the board. Defensive struggles cost North Duplin key outs, and by the time the inning closed, the Rebels faced a daunting 15-4 deficit.
Despite the large gap, North Duplin showed resilience. Holmes once again set the tone, reaching first safely and stealing second. Brock followed with his second hit of the night, placing two runners on base.
Quintanilla stepped up again, delivering a crucial RBI hit that brought Holmes home to cut the deficit to 15-5. The Rebels’ rally continued as a fielding error allowed Brock to cross the plate. A walk put another runner on base, and Quintanilla later scored on a ground ball, trimming the lead to 15-7.
With momentum shifting slightly, North Duplin managed to bring another run home before the inning ended, making it 15-8. However, they were unable to close the gap further, as South Lenoir’s defense tightened in the final frames.
North Duplin held South Lenoir scoreless in the fifth, with solid pitching and improved fielding keeping the deficit within reach. The Rebels had an opportunity in the sixth to chip away at the lead, but a quick three-up, three-down sequence prevented them from gaining traction.
In the seventh and final inning, North Duplin sent its last three batters to the plate, but South Lenoir’s pitching staff delivered in the clutch, recording a pair of strikeouts.
