ST. GEORGE – It looked like the Eagles may put runs on the board in the early goings of last Wednesday’s semi-final game against Dorchester Academy. B Baker singled up to lead off the game and then stole second. Three baserunners, but no runs as they moved to the bottom of the first.
Sophomore Landon Caulder took the mound for Richard Winn, who needed to win to stay alive in the playoffs. Dorchester managed to get two runners on, but did not capitalize as the inning ended with both teams scoreless.
With two outs in the top of the second, John Russell singled on a line drive to center, and Lawson Wade followed suit on a grounder to right, but, again, the Eagles left the dugout with no runs.
Dorchester headed to the plate for a big inning. Manning Thompson singled to lead off the inning, but Caulder struck out the second batter. A double then put runners in scoring position for Dorchester, and a walk by Caulder loaded the bases.
Zack Taylor got the second out with a 5-2 fielder’s choice. With the bases still loaded, an error by Taylor scored the first two runs of the game and started a scoring stretch for the Raiders. Brody Marchant singled to center to score two more runs, and Marchant plated the fifth on another Eagle fielding error before the inning ended the on a fly ball to left.
Taylor and Lancaster singled in the top of the third, but were left on base as Dorchester made quick work of the last two outs.
It wasn’t until the top of the fourth that Dorchester would add some cushion to their lead. Two hit batters in a row put runners on first and second. With two outs, Dorchester loaded the bases with a walk. Dylan Price singled to right to score one before the Richard Winn made a change on the mound. Eagle pitcher Berry Bonds’ first batter tripled to right, scoring three. He struck out the next batter to end the inning, but the Eagles trailed 9-0.
The fifth inning was quiet, with the exception of another Taylor single and a Dorchester single. Backs against the wall, the Eagles finally plated some runs in the top of the sixth.
A Rob Wilson single to left started the Eagle rally. Jacob Chaisson followed with a single, then John Russell singled to left, but Wilson was thrown out at home. With only one out, Wade singled to right to score Russell and Chaisson. The Eagles ended the inning trailing 2-9.
Holding Dorchester to three at-bats in the bottom of the sixth, Richard Winn faced one last chance. Taylor drew a walk to start the inning. Lancaster singled to left to put runners on first and second. A sacrifice fly by Wilson scored Taylor, but a strikeout extinguished the Eagles’ final flicker of hope.
The Eagle loss was not for lack of hits as they had 11 total, five more than Dorchester. Taylor, Lancaster, Russell and Wade had two hits apiece.
Landon Caulder took the loss on the mound. He pitched three and two-thirds innings, allowing four hits and four earned runs. He walked three, hit three batters, and struck out one. Bonds threw two and a third innings of relief, allowing two hits and striking out two.
The loss put the Eagles at 16-4 on the season, with two of their losses coming from postseason games against Dorchester. Dorchester advanced to the state title best-of-three series against St. John’s Christian Academy. Dorchester won game one on Monday with a 5-3 final. They faced off on Tuesday for game two, but weather caused a delay in the fifth with a 1-1 tie. Rainy conditions delayed the game until Thursday. A win would give Dorchester the 1A SCISA state title.
RICHARD WINN – 0-0-0-0-0-2-1 – 3, 11, 3
DORCHESTER – 0-5-0-4-0-0-X – 9, 6, 0
WP: Brody Marchant LP: Landon Caulder
HITTERS: RWA – Taylor 2-2, Wade 2-2, Lancaster 2-3, Russell 2-3, Wilson 1-3, Baker 1-4, Chaisson 1-4. DOR – Thompson 2-3 (3B), Byron 1-3 (2B), Marchant 1-4, Price 1-4.
