Two squads with Region 6-5A baseball championship aspirations collided Wednesday, April 17, on Berkeley High School’s Jim Bradley Field.
It was the home team that escaped with the crucial region victory and control of its own destiny in the region race. The Stags got out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the ninth inning with a double play and three-hole hitter Mason Salisbury delivered a single to centerfield with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to score Ryan Richardson from second base with the winning run in the Stags’ 10-9 victory over visiting Stratford High School.
Coach Landy Cox’s bunch improved to 16-6 overall and 6-2 in region play, while the Knights dropped to 9-13 overall and 4-4 in the league. Each team has four region games remaining, including the series finale Friday, April 19, at Stratford. Barring an upset to Goose Creek April 19, Wando will finish region play with a 9-3 mark.
Berkeley won game one, 16-4, two days earlier. Game two was back and forth from the outset, though.
“We had 1,000 ways we could have lost,” Cox said. “I guess all we needed was one way to win and it worked out. Stratford has a good team over there.”
The Knights rallied from a 3-1 deficit to grab a 7-3 lead with six runs in the top of the fourth inning, highlighted by a two-run home run off the bat of Bryce Herpolsheimer.
The Stags also fought back when down, plating a pair of runs in both the bottom of the fourth and fifth innings to even it up, 7-7.
Braydon Burnett singled to centerfield with one out in the top of the sixth to put Stratford back on top, 8-7, but Berkeley loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the frame and plated a pair of runs to go up, 9-8, on a Stratford error.
The Knights battled back one more time in the top of the seventh, with Reece Scarbrough delivering an RBI single to right field with two outs to tie it, 9-9.
Each squad got two runners aboard in the eighth before squandering those opportunities, setting the table for a dramatic ninth.
The Knights used back-to-back-to-back singles to threaten with one out in the top of the inning. However, Stags reliever Connor Barham coaxed a grounder to shortstop. Berkeley’s Gavin Edens threw home for a force out and Salisbury zipped one down to first base to complete the unconventional double play.
In the bottom of the ninth, Richardson reached when he was hit by a pitch with one out and moved up to second base on an infield single by Hudson Clark. With two outs, Salisbury slipped an 0-2 pitch into the outfield to win it.
“This isn’t his first rodeo,” Cox said of his senior catcher. “If I could pick one or two people to be up in that situation, it would be him or Edens because they’ve been there longer than anybody.
Clark, Salisbury, Barham, McCrae Driggers and Gavin Gaskins each had two hits for the Stags. Davis and Burnett collected three hits each for the Knights. Burnett knocked in three runs and Scarbrough pushed two across along with Herpolsheimer.
Berkeley has won seven of its last eight games since dropping a series to Wando in March. After Stratford, the Stags cap the region slate with a three-game series versus Cane Bay (April 22, 24, 25).
Stratford finishes the regular season against rival Goose Creek (April 22, 24, 26).
Stratford softball 3
Cane Bay 2
Stratford pitcher Lillian Hansen hurled a complete game, allowing eight hits and two earned runs with six strikeouts in a 3-2 win over Cane Bay Wednesday, April 17, in a Region 6-5A game.
Catcher Emma McGowan led Stratford (8-7) at the plate with two hits and an RBI, while outfielder Layla Joyner and infielder Gabby Cruz added RBIs.
Designated hitter Olivia Fleming led Cane Bay (9-9) with two hits. Third baseman Cadence Adkins and outfielder Emma Tychek knocked in runs.
Hanahan softball 8
Woodland 0
Hanahan pitcher Blake Mros hurled a three-hit shutout with six strikeouts in an 8-0 win Wednesday, April 17, against Woodland.
The shutout was the fifth straight for Hanahan (11-4).
Outfielder Sam Hannah had two hits and scored twice for Hanahan and infielder Camdyn Lawson knocked in two runs.
