Brookland-Cayce used a big fifth inning Thursday to take control of its playoff game against region foe Dreher.

The Bearcats scored all of their runs in the fifth inning to defeat Dreher, 8-1, in the Class 3A Lower State playoffs. B-C will host the Hanahan-Beaufort winner on Saturday while the Blue Devils travel to the Hanahan-Beaufort loser.

“If you go back and look, I bet 80 percent of our runs are scored in the fifth inning,” B-C coach Rusty Charpia said. “Why? I can’t tell you. Maybe we see the opposing pitcher enough times and start relaxing. But for some reason, the fifth inning has been our inning.”

Thursday’s game was the third meeting of the season between the two teams. B-C defeated the Blue Devils twice in the regular season and began the playoffs ranked No. 1 in Class 3A.

The game was a pitching duel between B-C’s Hayden Thomas and Dreher’s Nolan Cook for the first four innings. But the Blue Devils broke the tie in the top of the fifth on Matt Moore’s RBI single to make it 1-0.

B-C had eight straight hits in the bottom of the fifth and went on to the big inning. Jackson Thomas had two RBIs in the inning, while Tanner Staton, Parker Mergo, BJ Etheridge, Robert McMillan and Hayden Thomas all drove in one.

Hayden Thomas went the distance, giving up one earned run, on four hits while striking out nine.

Baseball scores

——Class 5A——

TL Hanna 3, Lexington 2: Pinch-hitter McKane Cantrell had a walk-off RBI single as TLH defeated the Wildcats in the Upper State playoffs. Lexington will travel to Boiling Springs in an elimination game Saturday. The Wildcats trailed 2-0 Thursday but tied it on Brandon Cromer’s two-run single in the sixth.

Blythewood 6, Boiling Springs 2: Macon Leppart homered and drove in three runs while Alex Myers added two RBI as Bengals won in the first game of Upper State playoffs. Blythewood hosts TL Hanna in a winner’s bracket game on Saturday. Landon Penfield went 5.2 innings for the win.

River Bluff 9, Wando 2: Beau Hollins hit his 15th home run of the season and drove in three as Gators won in the Lower State playoffs. RB hosts Summerville on Saturday in a winner’s bracket game. Wyatt McPherson, Walker Mitchell and Mattew Garris all had RBI for the Gators. Thomas Powell picked up the win.

——Class 2A——

Gray Collegiate 7, Strom Thurmond 2 (9): The War Eagles scored five runs in the top of the ninth to win on the road in the Upper State playoffs. Gray goes to Mid-Carolina on Saturday. William Eshaak and Landon Turner each drove in two runs. Brent Stukes got the win in relief.

Mid-Carolina 10, Pelion 0 (5): Hayden Lake had three RBIs, Jabari Flemon and Michael Lindler each had two in the Rebels win in the Upper State playoffs. M-C hosts Gray on Saturday, while Pelion hosts Strom Thurmond in an elimination game.

Oceanside Collegiate 4, North Central 2: The Landsharks jumped out to a 4-0 lead and went on to defeat the Knights in the Lower State playoffs. Oceanside travels to Andrew Jackson in a winner’s bracket game on Saturday, while North Central goes to Cheraw.

Boys soccer: Cardinal Newman, Hammond advance to championship

It will be an all-Midlands final in the SCISA 4A boys soccer championship.

Cardinal Newman and Hammond both earned spots in the title match on Thursday. The Cards defeated Heathwood Hall, 5-0, while the Skyhawks defeated Ben Lippen, 2-1.

The two teams will meet in the championship at 6 p.m. Saturday at Cardinal Newman. The Cards are going for their fourth-straight championship. The Skyahwks are going for their first soccer title since 2018.

In Cardinal Newman’s win, five different players scored: Duncan Wilson, Andres Camp Gonzales. Matthew Harrison and Brady Cote.

The match was the final one for Heathwood’s Andrew Richardson, who is stepping down to pursue an opportunity outside of coaching.

Softball score

——Class 4A——

Lugoff-Elgin 6, Hartsville 2: Reece Pickett homered and had two RBIs as the Demons won an elimination game. L-E travels to South Florence for the district championship on Saturday. The Demons need to defeat South Florence on Saturday and again Monday to advance to the Lower State championship.

May 11, 2023 | State, The: Web Edition Articles (Columbia, SC)
Author/Byline: Lou Bezjak, The State | Section: high_school