Saturday’s area sports briefs
The Warriors cleaned up on the baseball field Saturday afternoon before preparing to do the same for the prom in the evening.
Tucker Perry allowed three runs (one earned) on two hits and struck out nine in six innings to lead the Waccamaw baseball team to a 7-4 win over Barnwell to reach the Class AA, District V finals.
After a three-plus-hour bus trip home, the Warriors were left with little time to prepare for one of the biggest social events of their high school years.
“That’s a tough thing to play on prom day,” Waccamaw coach Jeff Gregory said. “This group was able to do it and win. [Winning the first two] was one of the goals we marked up early on. We reached one of our goals today and have six more to go.”
The coach was referring to the number of wins the Warriors need to claim a state championship. Waccamaw can reach the Lower State tournament with a win – and the Warriors will have two chances in the double-elimination format – Wednesday at home. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.
“If you don’t win the first two it’s extremely difficult to win the district championship,” Gregory said. “Winning the first two gives you the luxury of resting your staff and players and the chance to play at home.”
Waccamaw jumped on Barnwell with five runs in the first inning Saturday, and that was plenty for a pitcher like Perry.
“That took them out of their ballgame and that was our plan,” Gregory said. “And Tucker Perry, when he’s on the hill and out there dealing we’ve got a chance to beat anybody. I can’t say enough about his performance.”
Waccamaw | 500 | 1 | — | 7 | 5 | 2 | |
Barnwell | 000 | 2 | — | 4 | 2 | 3 | |
▪ W: Tucker Perry (6-2). L: Seth Chestnut. Top hitters: Waccamaw: Will Golden 1-2, RBI, 2 runs; Connor Eckard 1-3, run; Ethan Chastain 1-1, RBI. Barnwell: Paul Pritchard 1-4; Jackson Ridgeway 1-3.
▪ Records: Waccamaw 21-5.
High school baseball
▪ Green Sea Floyds 20, (at) Allendale-Fairfax 1 (4) | The Trojans bounced back from an opening loss in the Class A, District VII playoffs with quite an encore.
Green Sea Floyds scored in all four innings Saturday to stay alive in the playoffs after losing its opener 10-0 to East Clarendon.
“They’ve done it all year. We don’t lay down,” Trojans coach Derek Martin said. “They’re going to fight until the last out is made every game.”
Green Sea Floyds with play at Cross at 6 p.m. Monday with a spot in the district finals on the line.
“We’re going to throw our best at them and see what happens,” Martin said.
GSF | 426 | 8 | — | 20 | 11 | 1 |
A-F | 000 | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | 3 |
▪ W: Shaquan Gillard (1-2. L: T. Cohen. Top hitters: Green Sea Floyds: Matt Milligan 2-4; Tristan Hardwick 2-3.
▪ Records: Green Sea Floyds 6-11.
▪ Carolina Forest 5, (at) James Island 0 | Andrew Brong made it 2-for-2 in complete-game efforts on the mound for the Panthers in the postseason.
Brong allowed two hits and struck out six while walking just one in a shutout effort as Carolina Forest advanced to the Class AAAA, District VII finals.
“It’s tremendous to have two complete games,” Panthers coach Jack Jolly said. “It really helps set our pitching for the championship game.”
Patrick Orlando tossed a complete game in Carolina Forest’s playoff opener Thursday, and the Panthers will have two chances to win Wednesday when they host the district finals Wednesday.
“It was a good win for us on the road tonight against James Island,” Jolly said. “Now we can come home and get our pitching in order for Wednesday.”
Carolina Forest | 002 | 003 | 0 | — | 5 | 6 | 3 |
James Island | 000 | 000 | 0 | — | 0 | 2 | 1 |
▪ W: Andrew Brong (4-0). L: Jackson White. Top hitters: Carolina Forest: Jared Lembcke 2-3; Jakob Frishmuth 1-3, 2 RBIs; Joey Dewult 1-3, RBI; Brendon Calbert 1-3, RBI.
▪ Records: Carolina Forest 18-9.
▪ Aynor 4, (at) Edisto 0 | The regular season prepared the Blue Jackets for this.
After beating Edisto on Saturday, Aynor advanced to the Class AA, District finals.
Aynor finished fourth in a highly competitive Region VIII-AA.
“It’s a really strong region,” Blue Jackets coach Chad Sarvis said. “A lot of the coaches throughout the state will tell you that it’s one of the best AA regions in the state.”
Aynor now will have two chances to advance to the Lower State tournament when they play again Wednesday.
“Our kids have been excellent all year long,” Sarvis said. “They come out and compete every night. That what they did all year.”
Aynor | 001 | 000 | 3 | — | 4 | 10 | 1 |
Edisto | 000 | 000 | 0 | — | 0 | 5 | 1 |
▪ W: Jackson Woodle (4-4). L: Mcelleny. Top hitters: Aynor: Josh Page 2-3; Woodle 1-2; Ridge Richardson 1-2.
▪ Records: Aynor 14-8.
College baseball
▪ (At) Florida State 8, Coastal Carolina 3 | The Seminoles scored all eight of their runs in the first five innings before the Chants got on the scoreboard en route to a series-clinching victory.
DJ Stewart and Chris Marconcini each hit two-run home runs for Florida State, which will try for a sweep Sunday.
Connor Owings, David Parrett and Tyler Chadwick drove in runs for Coastal.
▪ Auburn 6, (at) South Carolina 2 | The Tigers scored a pair of runs in each of the seventh, eighth and ninth innings for a come-from-behind victory.
▪ (At) Clemson 9, Louisville 1 | The Tigers jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning and Matthew Crownover made a strong start to lift the Tigers.
This story was originally published May 2, 2015 at 10:21 PM with the headline "Saturday’s area sports briefs."