EASLEY — In a heartbreaking 2-1 loss on Wednesday the local boys of South Carolina District 1 fell to Southwest and effectively ended their run for the Senior League Baseball World Series.
But for a while, it looked like they had it.
SCD1 was coming off an impressive 8-0 win on Sunday over Central and spirits were high about the upcoming game against SW — even though SW had defeated them once already.
It looked to be a pitching battle from the start and innings one and two passed scoreless for both teams.
Top of the third, things started looking up for SC when Banks Starbuck singled on a line drive to center field and made it to second following a pitching error.
With Ben Freeman at the plate, Starbuck stole third but had to wait until the next at bat when Freeman was struck out.
He makes it home on a hit by Cole Cascio and SCD1 takes a 1-0 lead.
A Southwest double in the bottom of the fourth tied the game but top of the fifth saw South Carolina come back and extend their lead.
SCD1’s Will James singled on a line drive to right field and was swapped on base for pinch runner Bennett Simon. A triple by Gabe LaPann gets Simon home for a 2-1 lead that is extended to 3-1 when LaPann crosses the plate on a sacrifice bunt.
Unfortunately for the local fan favorites, it all came undone bottom of the seventh.
With Luke Ryles on the mound, two Southwest batters are walked in a row. A sacrifice bunt results in the inning’s first out, but the damage was done as players advance to second and third.
A pop fly to center field gets the runner at third home, narrowing SC’s lead to one.
With two outs on the board and a runner on base, SW’s Drew Woodcox singles on a ground ball to center — putting the winning run within reach.
SCD1 was one strike away from victory when a line drive double by Beckett Vine got both Southwest players on base home and ended the game 4-3.