Playoffs in clear view as American Legion season hits home stretch

Rivals in some cases during the recently completed high school baseball season, several local standouts have opted to continue on the diamond well into the summer – albeit standing shoulder-to-shoulder with guys they spent much of the past few months glaring at from the opposite dugout.

The American Legion baseball season has hit its home stretch, with teams jockeying for playoff position.

As the season heads into its final week, Horry Post 111 is second in League 2 play with a 4-6 record. The Conway-based club has two games remaining – one with league-leading Florence and Murrells Inlet Post 178.

Among the schools represented on the Horry roster are Aynor, Carolina Forest, Conway, Conway Christian, Johnsonville and North Myrtle Beach.

Speaking of Murrells Inlet – which consists largely of players from Myrtle Beach, Socastee, St. James high schools – it sits in third with a 3-6 mark. The Tides will play three games this week, a home-and-home series with Hartsville before its season finale with Horry Post 111.

With Florence having already clinched the league title, the league’s remaining teams are jockeying for its No. 2 spot – a perk that assures a team of home-field advantage in its first round playoff series.

“It’s always nice to have a home-field advantage, it makes things much easier on your team,” said Murrells Inlet manager Richard Sullivan. “Hartsville is in our league and it’s an hour and a half drive. The difference of being at home compared to possibly having to go to Columbia – two and a half hours away, mind you – is huge.”

Taking three out of four games during the Palmetto Legion Tournament a week ago, Sullivan said he likes the momentum his team is building as the campaign comes to a close.

“It’s been a little slow this season, but (the Palmetto Legion Tournament) we just had was good for us,” he said. “There were teams there from Florida, Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio and other places there. It was good for us, some young guys got some playing time, much needed for our team.”

Horry Post 111 also seems to have settled into a groove, posting 10 or more runs with regularity over the past few weeks.

“Especially our last three or four games, we’ve really done a good job swinging the bats,” Horry Post 111 manager Timmy Whittaker said. “Reid Hardwick, Caleb Nobles and Caleb Lindaberry have been really good for us lately.”

Lindaberry has also been useful on the mound, teaming up with Patrick Orlando to provide the club a 1-2 punch.

“They’ve really been workhorses for us,” Whittaker said. “Lately, we’ve been preaching to them about limiting their pitch count. When they get to college, (coaches) will want to keep their pitch count down. There’s a huge difference between working seven innings and pitching nine … American Legion baseball serves as a good place to learn a lot of that.”

With summer travel ball gaining popularity, participation in American Legion baseball has taken somewhat of a hit. According to both coaches, the allure of being able to mesh players who’ve spent their high school careers as adversaries is one of its greatest attributes.

“This game is all about having fun, but why I like American Legion baseball is that you really must create a team atmosphere,” Whittaker said. “You get guys from all over, and let them learn the nuances of the game and more importantly play for something beyond themselves.”

Said Sullivan: “They’re not playing for Myrtle Beach, Socastee or St James. They’re playing for the Murrells Inlet American Legion baseball team. What you did in spring to help beat them doesn’t matter; we’re all in this together.”

This story was originally published June 27, 2016 at 8:39 PM with the headline "Playoffs in clear view as American Legion season hits home stretch."