SUMTER – The Bengals finished their regular season with a blowout win over Spring Valley and carried that momentum into the first round of the playoffs. Starting pitcher Landon Lucas and relief pitcher John Lanier combined to shut out Sumter in the Bengals’ 11-0 blowout.
Lucas pitched five strong innings, only giving up four hits and striking out four. Lanier came on in the final inning and retired the Fighting Gamecocks with just nine pitches. Jordan Flemming notched the game’s first RBI with a sacrifice bunt to score Brady Carson in the top of the second.
Lanier singled to begin the third and scored on a failed pickoff attempt at first base. Later in the inning, Ben-Lang Spittler flied out to left field, but it was deep enough to score Michael Gregory.
The Bengals surged in the fifth and sixth innings to put Sumter away. Josh Cowan sac-flied to score Lucas. A couple of batters later, Brady Beasley reamed a ground ball to left field for a two-RBI double.
Carson put the Bengals up 7-0 in the fifth after he doubled to center field and scored Beasley. Cowan, Lang-Spittler and Lanier each had RBI singles too. A run scored on a wild pitch sealed the game up.
The Bengals will travel to Wando tonight at 6:00 for more playoff action.
SHS:0-0-0-0-0-0-X-0
BHS:0-1-2-0-4-4-X – 11
Pitching: BHS- Landon Lucas (W), 5IP, 4H, 0R, 0ER, 4K. John Lanier, 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0ER. SHS Josh Bryant (L), 4.1IP, 8H, 7R, 7ER, 3K, 3BB. Seth Posey, 0.2IP, 5H, 4R, 2ER, 0K, 0BB.Wylie Coker, 1IP, 0H, 0R, 0ER,0K,0BB. Jacob Holladay
Hitting: 1B -Landon Lucas, John Lanier (2), Josh Cowan (2), Ben-Lang Spittler, Nate Hinson, Zach Bailes (BCHS). Trey Yates, Jacob Holladay, Joseph Pereira, Victor Brown (SHS). 2B – Brady Beasley (2), Brady Carson (2), Landon Lucas (BHS).