Williamson’s blast stakes Sumter Post 15 to series lead
Morale low and lacking energy, the Sumter P15s found the boost it needed Tuesday night from an unlikely source in its second round American Legion Baseball playoff opener against Murrells Inlet Post 178.
Down a run in the seventh inning, Sumter’s Rylan Williamson sent the 3-2 delivery of Sam McKinney over the left field fence, just out of the reach of Tides left fielder Liam Bloom to give his team an 8-6 lead.
The shot — Williamson’s first of the season — would be the difference in a wild affair, allowing the P15s to claim a 1-0 lead in the teams' best-of-five playoff series.
“It was the most uplifting home run we’ve had this year,” said Sumter Post 15 manager Steve Campbell. “It was the only home run (Williamson) has had this year. To go from being down a run to him hitting a home run and us being up two, that was a big momentum boost for our dugout.”
Staking a 5-0 lead early on, it did not seem such late inning dramatics would be necessary for the Sumter-based ball club. However, showcasing its trademark resilience, Murrells Inlet proved to be tougher to get rid of than previously believed.
Sending 12 batters to the plate in the third, the Tides swiftly erased the deficit, rallying for six runs in the frame to take the lead.
Post 178 would hold the advantage till the seventh, when Williamson's blast proved to be the decisive blow.
For Murrells Inlet Post 178 manager Thomas Sheehan, being so close — yet so far — proved to be quite the pill to swallow.
“In a game like this, you have to make every play, every play ... especially against a team like this,” he said. “Dropped a ball on a pickoff play right before (the home run) that would have got us out of the inning. It just proves you have to do the little things.”
The Tides now will travel to Sumter Wednesday night, hoping to knot the series at one apiece in a game being resumed followed a rainout on Monday. At the time it was suspended, Murrells Inlet Post 178 was up 2-0.
“We’ll have to have a short memory,” Sheehan said. “We’re playing a good team, and (Wednesday’s) game is an important one. We’ll have to bring our best.”
SUM | 014 | 000 | 300 | — | 8 | 10 | 0 |
MI | 006 | 000 | 000 | — | 6 | 7 | 3 |
▪ W: Tradd Jones. L: Sam McKinney. Top hitters: POST 15 – Rylan Williamson 2-for-5, HR, 4 RBI; Brandon Spittle 1-for-4, HR, 3 RBI; Jordan Halladay 3-for-5, 2B. POST 178 – Liam Bloom 2-for-4, R, RBI; Kevin Fries 2-for-4, R, RBI.
▪ Records: Sumter Post 15 leads best-of-five series 1-0.
Joe L. Hughes II: 843-444-1702, @thejournalist44
This story was originally published July 12, 2016 at 11:35 PM with the headline "Williamson’s blast stakes Sumter Post 15 to series lead."