Darlington beats Blue and ends season on a high note
By Drake Horton, Contributing Writer
As the final out was made it was clear how much the Darlington Post 13 junior legion baseball team had progressed from the start of the season to the end as Darlington found itself victorious over South Florence Blue by a convincing 5-1 score this past Wednesday at home.
Playing Blue for the fourth time this year, Post 13 was finally able to get over the hump and get that elusive win over the best junior legion team in the state.
Entering the game, the second in a best of three series in the second round of the playoffs, South Florence was an impressive 25-1 and riding a 14-game win streak. Behind strong pitching and a four-run fourth inning Blue’s one loss became two and their 14-game streak became a thing of the past.
“We’re playing our best baseball at the end of the year,” Darlington head coach Dennis Gearhart said. “Started off game one against these guys and it was 14-1, we booted the ball around the field; the second time we played them we cut it to 8-1 and we had some rain that complicated that a little bit. We blew one last night, had a 3-0 lead in the seventh, and then came out tonight and got the win. The team is 25-2, ranked number one in the state and we proved we could play with anybody.”
South Florence took an early lead in the top of the second behind an exceptional example of small ball. Leading the inning off with a single, Blue was able to sacrifice bunt the runner over to second base setting it up for him to steal third with just one out.
With the runner on third and just the one out in the inning, the following South Florence batter hit a perfectly placed sacrifice fly to right field, allowing the runner to tag from third to score.
That runner, along with one more in the top of the seventh, was the only two that ever reached third base in the entire game.
Behind that pitching was a combined effort from Gage Weatherford, who started and threw three complete innings before giving way to Luke Flowers, who finished up the final four innings without giving up a run.
Darlington’s offense came to life in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Ace James led the inning off with a single and Garrett Knight followed that up with a RBI double down the left field line. Later in the same inning Flowers helped his own cause as he hit Darlington’s second double of the inning with this one going to left field as well.
Post 13’s scoring run did not stop there; however, as Quay Gandy connected for Darlington’s third double of the inning, this time a shot to right field.
Darlington added one more run for a little extra cushion in the sixth inning as Trae Buck scored on a wild pitch.
The win, which tied the series at one game apiece, put Darlington just one win away from advancing to the state tournament in Spartanburg.
Unfortunately for Post 13 that is not going to happen. Darlington is forfeiting the third and final game of the series, as it is not going to have enough players to play, therefore ending the season and sending South Florence to Spartanburg instead.
While the situation is tough and to a degree unprecedented, Gearhart and the rest of the team seem to be ok with their decision as a majority of the team will now go play in the Little League Senior League state championship.
“I’m proud of my guys, I couldn’t ask for much more,” Gearhart said. They’ve dedicated three nights a week for a month and a half, almost two months to getting better. I said when we started this season that was what our goal was. When it comes down to it, kids need to be kids; they don’t need to dedicate their entire life to the game of baseball. They need to do things they want to do to. The way open season is now its practice all fall, they play all spring, now you’re taking away their summer. I have 8-9 guys that have an opportunity to win a couple of games and go to Florida. I can’t be too upset about it. Of course I would love to play it out, like I said, we’ve proved we can play with them. It is what it is. Now it’s the time for us to rest, recover and get back to the grind in the fall.”
Darlington finishes the season 15-6 overall.
