WILSON – Lawrence Academy utilized a five-run sixth inning to take a 10-0 win over Greenfield School in the first game of the best of three series for the NCISAA 1-A baseball state championship.

The Warriors rode the two-hit pitching and bat of senior right-hander Blake Hill, who not only tossed a shut out, but had a homerun and triple in the tilt.

The Warriors wasted no time to getting on the scoreboard plating three tallies in the bottom of the first frame.

Senior shortstop Evan Holton opened the inning with a single to center , stole second and went to third on a wild pitch. One out later, Chad Whitehead ripped a double over the Greenfield centerfielder’s head that struck the base of the wall 405 feet from home plate.

Hill then got into the act driving a triple to left center scoring Whitehead and racing home moments later on William Nowell’s sacrifice fly for an early 3-0 advantage.

The Warriors extended their lead to 4-0 in the third on a Cameron Peed single, a stolen base, a passed ball and Whitehead’s infield single in the hole at short.

Greenfield mounted their biggest threat of the game in the bottom of the third inning on a Tas Pittman double to center and a walk to Sam Kirk with two outs. However, Hill got Robbie Stokely to pop to the catcher to end the inning and the Knights did not get a runner beyond first the remainder of the game.

Lawrence increased their lead to 5-0 in the fifth frame when Hill took Greenfield starting pitcher Taylor Ellis’ offering high over the leftfield fence in left at the 335 mark.

Lawrence then put the game away in the sixth with a five-run outburst.

Darren Armstrong doubled to open the inning and was sacrificed to third by Ryan Lilley. A tiring Ellis then issued walks to Holton and Cameron Peed to load the bases before Greenfield coach made a pitching change brining in freshman Robbie Stokely.

A pair of wild pitches allowed Armstrong to score and Chad Whitehead drew a walk to reload the bases. Holton and Peed scored back-to-back runs on a passed ball and wild pitch and after Hill walked Norrell stroked a double to deep left to score Whitehead, but Hill was thrown out at the plate in a close play with Norrell taking third. Norrell scored moments later on yet another passed ball for the tenth run ending the contest.

Hill got the win on the mound for the Warriors going the distance for the shutout allowing only two Greenfield hits while Taylor Ellis took the loss for Greenfield.

Offensively, Whitehead was 2-for-2, Blake Hill 2-for-3 with a homerun and triple and Darren Armstrong was 2-for-4 to lead Lawrence while Taylor Ellis and Tas Pittman ahs Greenfield’s only two hits.