Adam Jones referred to Wednesday’s 10-0 win over rival Socastee to open the playoffs a “statement game.”
What, then, would beating Wando in the second round at home on Friday be?
“That would be a statement game on steroids,” the St. James softball coach said. “That would be the best statement game. We’ve still got that bad taste in our mouth [from last year]. This would be more important to us than the region championship was. This is the wall we need to get through.”
While Wando and St. James have found ways to schedule each other in the regular season each of the last two years – including a pair of games last week after the two already knew they were playoff bound – what Jones was referencing was a 4-1 loss to the Warriors in the second round of the district playoffs a year ago. The loss sent the Sharks to the elimination round, where they were ultimately sent packing by River Bluff a few days later.
Those two losses derailed what on paper was starting to look like one of Jones’ most promising squads.
This time around, Jones said his team will be more prepared. Part of that was in relation to St. James catcher Kaitlyn Elko returning to the lineup after missing two weeks due to an injury. Elko hit a two-run home run against the Braves.
Socastee, meanwhile, will head to Fort Dorchester on Friday in an elimination game following Wednesday’s loss.
AROUND THE AREA
The North Myrtle Beach baseball team won its second-round home game against Richland Northeast, pushing the Chiefs to a revenge game similar to that of St. James softball. James Island not only eliminated North Myrtle Beach from the 2022 playoffs; it also handed the Chiefs a first-round loss in 2020.
North Myrtle Beach entered the playoffs ranked No. 1 in Class 4A, while James Island was No. 4.
Carolina Forest moved on to the third round of the Class 5A boys soccer playoffs with a 2-1 win over West Ashley. The Panthers then received another gift when Stall upset state power Chapin in the second round. Those two results mean Carolina Forest will host Stall on Friday in the third round.
WEDNESDAY’S RESULTS
BOYS TENNIS
Class 4A Lower State Final
Myrtle Beach 6, Lucy Beckham 0
BASEBALL
Class 4A
North Myrtle Beach 4, Richland Northeast 3
SOFTBALL
Class 5A
St. James 10, Socastee 0 (5 innings)
Ashley Ridge 6, Carolina Forest 0
Conway 8, White Knoll 7
Class 3A
Aynor 18, Crestwood 0
Loris 9, Darlington 0
Class 1A
Green Sea Floyds 15, Branchville 3
BOYS SOCCER
Class 5A
Carolina Forest 2, West Ashley 1
Class 4A
Myrtle Beach 3, Logoff-Elgin 0
Class 3A
Dreher 8, Aynor 0
HORRY COUNTY PLAYOFF SCHEDULE
BOYS TENNIS
Class 4A State Final, 10 a.m. Saturday, Florence
Myrtle Beach vs. Riverside
BASEBALL
Class 5A (Thursday)
No. 3 St. James at No. 1 Summerville, 7 p.m. (Second round)
No. 2 Wando at No. 1 Carolina Forest (Second round)
At-large Conway at No. 4 Cane Bay (elimination bracket)
No. 4 Fort Dorchester at No. 2 Socastee elimination bracket)
Class 3A (Thursday)
No. 4 Loris at No. 2 Beaufort, TBD (Second round)
No. 4 Orangeburg-Wilkinson at No. 2 Aynor (elimination bracket)
Class 1A, Second round (Thursday)
No. 3 Green Sea Floyds at No. 1 East Clarendon
Class 4A, Third round (Friday)
No. 3 James Island at No. 2 North Myrtle Beach
BOYS SOCCER
Class 5A, Third round (Friday)
No. 2 Stall at No. 1 Carolina Forest
Class 4A, Third round (Friday)
No. 3 James Island at No. 2 Myrtle Beach
SOFTBALL
Class 4A , Second round (Thursday)
No. 11 North Myrtle Beach at No. 3 Colleton County
Class 5A (Friday)
No. 2 Wando at No. 1 St. James (Second round)
No. 2 Conway at No. 1 Berkeley (Second round)
At-large Socastee at No. 3 Fort Dorchester (Elimination round)
No. 4 Carolina Forest at No. 3 Stratford (Elimination round)
Class 3A, Second round (Friday)
No. 2 Swansea at No. 1 Aynor, 6 p.m.
No. 3 Loris at No. 1 Gilbert
Class 1A, Second round (Friday)
No. 4 Green Sea Floyds at No. 2 East Clarendon
GIRLS SOCCER
Class 5A, Second round (Thursday)
No. 3 Fort Dorchester at No. 1 St. James
No. 3 Carolina Forest at No. 1 West Ashley
Class 4A, Second round (Thursday)
No. 10 May River at No. 2 Myrtle Beach
Class 3A, Second round (Thursday)
No. 2 Aynor at No. 1 Dreher, 6 p.m.
No. 3 Loris at No. 1 Philip Simmons
May 4, 2023 | Horry Independent, The (Conway, SC)
Author/Byline: Ian Guerin ian@ianguerin.com | Section: High School