Published Wednesday, April 23, 2008 11:38 AM
Updated Wednesday, April 23, 2008 11:38 AM

 

Knights prevail in extra-innings battle with Wave

Two region champs went head-to-head on the baseball diamond Friday.

Stratford, the 2008 Region 7-AAAA champion, handed Summerville, the Region 8-AAAA champion, a 3-2 loss in Goose Creek in a nine-inning battle.

The Knights (18-4) and the Green Wave (15-7) both host a playoff game Thursday in the opening round of the South Carolina High School League Class 4-A playoffs. The teams’ coaches say the game was a nice warm up for the post season.

“Summerville is a very good team year in and year out so we always expect a playoff type atmosphere for this game and that is what we got,” Stratford coach John Chalus said. “It came down to the end.

“We had opportunities that we weren’t successful on and they had some they weren’t successful on, but it was a very well played game with some good sportsmanship. Hopefully it will help us moving into the playoffs.”

The teams combined for 18 hits, however, both defenses came through in several clutch situations to keep the scoring to a minimum.

Stratford had a solid performance from two pitchers. Sophomore starter Chris Hanna threw seven innings, striking out seven batters while only surrendering three walks and two runs. Senior Tyler Hill relieved him with the game knotted at 2-2 and picked up the win in two innings of work, striking out two while walking only one and allowing no runs.

It was the second time in as many games that Hill saw relief work. The standout helped SHS defeat its archrival at Goose Creek last week.

Summerville had an outstanding performance by its infield. Shortstop Zach Dibble, second baseman Branden Millhouse and first baseman Aaron Bouronich combined for five double plays.

Summerville loaded the bases in the first with base hits from Millhouse and pitcher Pat Dolan and a walk from catcher Brett Wheeler. Bouronich came to the plate and walked, which plated Millhouse for a 1-0 Wave lead. Stratford then turned its own double play to end the Wave threat.

Stratford’s Kyle Legette opened the bottom of the third with a triple and scored off a single by Aaron Preston to tie the score. Jeremy Eades, who reached on a walk, moved into scoring position on the hit, but Summerville got out of the inning on a 6-4-3 double play.

The score remained knotted until the top of the fifth. Millhouse opened with a double and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Tyler Fletcher. Dolan then smashed a double to drive the senior in for a 2-1 Wave lead.

The advantage was short lived as the bottom of the lineup came through for Stratford in the sixth.

The Knights loaded the bases with a hit by Hill, a bunt single by Mark Bone and a walk by Josh Crout. Legette then hit into a 4-6-3 double play, but pinch runner Andre Colden scored on the play for a 2-all tie that held until the bottom of the ninth.

Stratford had the top of the order up in the bottom of the final inning. The leadoff batter struck out, but then Patric Limehouse reached with a base hit and Preston walked. Cleanup batter Mecho Bohren stepped to the plate and ripped a single to drive in Limehouse for the game-winning run.

“I would like to see us get a hit in some of the other pressure situations, but we had some kids step up,” Chalus said. “We threw our sophomore tonight and he threw for seven innings and really battled. Then we brought in a senior and he stepped up. A senior also got the hit at the plate. It’s their time. We will go as far as we can in the playoffs based on how our seniors play.”

Preston led all batters in the game, reaching on two singles, a double, a walk and an error in five turns at the plate. Hill was 2-for-4 at bat and Limehouse was 2-for-5.

For Summerville, Millhouse, Dolan and Jacob Webb were all 2-for-4.