MYRTLE BEACH, SC — South Laurel was one out away from picking up its second win during its stay in the Cal Ripken Experience but South Carolina’s Andrew Jackson High School managed to rally and score three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to secure a 10-9 win.
“That’s a team that just came off a state championship,” South Laurel coach Trey Smith said. “The way our boys competed was really exciting, and I’m proud of them. With the talent that team had all over the field, and the way we competed, scored runs, and threw strikes, this game showed us we can compete with anybody if we continue to do those things.”
The game went back and forth throughout the matchup with the Cardinals (9-5) holding a 4-3 advantage entering the third inning. Andrew Jack scored a run in the bottom of the third, but South Laurel reclaimed a 7-4 advantage after a three-run fourth inning.
Andrew Jackson pushed across a run in the bottom of the fourth, and tied the game at seven apiece with two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning before the Cardinals briefly took a 9-7 lead thanks to scoring two runs in the top of the seventh.
South Laurel recorded two outs while Andrew Jackson had runners on first and second, and that’s when the Cardinals’ opponents began to rally.
Consecutive walks loaded the bases while Andrew Jackson pushed across another run to cut its deficit to 9-8. Andrew Jackson proved to win the game after one of its players connected with two-run single to win the game.
Hunter Bundy led South Laurel at the plate with a 3-for-5 effort while scoring three times. Ayden Smith was 2-for-4 with three RBI, and two runs scored while Ashton Garland was 3-for-4 with one run scored. Will Alsip tuned in a 2-for-3 effort with an RBI, and a run scored while Keaton Creech had two hits, and one run scored. Cole Harville finished with a hit, and an RBI while Waylon Hensley collected a hit, and scored twice.
Creech tossed three and one/third of an inning, allowing eight hits, and four earned runs. Alsip also pitched three and one/third of an inning, allowing five hits, and five earned runs while striking out two batters.
Photo by Caryn Minor Smith
