Published Tuesday, April 29, 2008 7:10 AM
Updated Tuesday, April 29, 2008 7:11 AM

 

Stags eliminated 12-3

By as late as 6:45 if anyone would have asked about the chances of the Stags playing baseball Monday night, the answer would have been slim and none and Slim just left town.

Perhaps it would have been better if the game had been called.

The Stags may have avoided the arm of Sumter’s ace Matt Price, but they weren’t spared the Gamecocks thumpin’ sticks. Down 2-1 going into the third, the Gamecocks exploded for 11 unanswered runs over the game’s final five innings and pummeled Berkeley pitching for 18 hits in a 12-3 romp at James Bradley Field.

The loss eliminates Berkeley from the District 8 playoffs and ends the Stags’ season at 20-8.

Sumter plays Summerville in the District 8 finals Wednesday night with the Green Wave needing just one win to clinch the District 8 championship.

Starter Thomas Brittle battled control and the slick surface pitching out of jams in each of the three innings worked, surrendering a run in the top of the first on just one hit and three walks.

The Stags plated two runs in the bottom half of the inning off Gamecocks starter Jordan Montgomery to take the lead as Brittle was hit by a pitch and then stole second. Nick Orvin was intentionally passed and with two outs Bryce Baur delivered the big hit, a 2-Rbi double to right center.

Life looked good for the Stags.

Brittle pitched out of potential trouble in the second following a walk and an error and again in the third giving up just one run on three hits.

In the bottom half the Stags mounted the game’s last serious threat as Orvin singled off Montgomery’s foot and Kyle Shepherd laced a single to left. Montgomery regained his composure and settled down to retire Baur and Cam Sessions on grounders to second and short respectively.

In the fourth the Gamecocks took the lead for good on a 2-run homer by Stephen Curtis and in the final two innings scored 8 times to put the game out of reach.

Berkeley scored a run in the home half of the seventh, following a walk to Brittle, a stolen base and a two-base error to Michael Dangerfield on a dropped fly ball to center.

Montgomery picked up the win and Thurman Pellum took the loss in relief.

See the May 7 edition of The Independent for complete tournament coverage and a recap on the Stags season.