WINNSBORO – Game one of the South Carolina Independent Schools Association (SCISA) 1A State baseball playoffs did not go as Richard Winn expected.
A two-seed in the lower bracket, Richard Winn hosted three-seeded Dorchester for game one of the tournament and fell behind early.
Dorchester put up three runs in the first inning. A grand slam in the second and two more runs in the top of the third put the Raiders up 9-0 before the Eagles could respond with a run.
Back-to-back singles by Zack Taylor and Austin Lancaster put runners on base in the bottom of the third for Richard Winn. A Raider error loaded the bases for the Eagles. With two outs, Jacob Chaisson singled to score two runs. A John Russell single loaded the bases again before a fly ball ended the inning with the Eagles down 9-2.
In to relieve starting pitcher Zack Taylor, Rob Wilson and the Eagles worked quickly in the top of the fourth to hold Dorchester scoreless.
B Baker singled to start the bottom of the fourth, and Dru Caldwell followed with a line-drive single of his own to center. Taylor was hit by a pitch, loading the bases again. Baker scored off of a Lancaster sacrifice fly, then Caldwell scored on a Brian King sacrifice fly before a line drive to center ended the inning with RWA trailing 9-4.
Three runs in the top of the fifth by Dorchester added the insurance needed as the Eagles could only add three runs off of a Brian King homer in the sixth. Dorchester took the 12-7 first round win and put the Eagles in an elimination game against familiar foe Newberry on Wednesday.
Against Dorchester, Taylor allowed six hits in two innings of work. He walked four. Wilson threw five innings of relief, allowing three hits, three runs. He struck out two.
Richard Winn came back from a 7-1 deficit on Wednesday to claim a 22-12 win over Newberry in six innings. They will host Andrew Jackson Friday for game three. See the story on both games in The Voice’s May 6 edition.
DORCHESTER – 3-4-2-0-3-0-0 – 12, 9, 1
RICHARD WINN – 0-0-2-2-0-3-0 – 7, 14, 6
LP: Taylor
HITTERS: Taylor 3-3, King 2-3 (HR), Chaisson 2-4, Russell 2-4, Caldwell 2-5, Baker 2-5, Lancaster 1-3.
NEWBERRY – 0-7-2-0-0-3-X – 12, 5, 6
RICHARD WINN – 1-5-0-0-8-8-X – 22, 9, 1
WP: Dru Caldwell LP: Tony McLean
HITTERS: Russell 2-2, Caldwell 2-5 ( 2B), Baker 2-5, King 1-3, Lawson Wade 1-3, Chaisson 1-4