From atmosphere-rich Jimmy White Park in sunny and hospitable Hartsville, South Carolina.
By Eddie Dwyer - Saint Ignatius' veteran Head Coach Brad Ganor never hesitated for a second in summing up Thursday's six-run setback to the Fighting Gamecocks of Sumter, South Carolina.
"Errors, and we didn't throw a ton of strikes today," Coach Ganor said after his Baseball Wildcats were defeated, 9-3, in the talent-rich Southeastern Baseball Classic. "You give a good hitting team 11 or 12 free passes with the errors and the walks, you're not going to win, it was just plain and simple.
"I think our guys got a little shell shocked when they (Sumter) hit the ball so well," Coach Ganor continued. "They had the best offensive day against us yet this year. We weren't able to pitch out of a couple of jams as were in previous games."
Saint Ignatius, which was coming off a 4-0 loss to national power Paul VI (Fairfax, Virginia) in Wednesday's second round of the SBC, rode an authoritative single from junior second baseman A.J. Gaich, a base hit by senior first baseman/co-Captain Tommy Grosel off Tommy's perfectly executed hit and run, and a passed ball on a third strike to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning.
Tommy Grosel will be on the mound for the 'Cats in Friday's SBC finale.
Sumter, a team that seems to always play well in its region, responded with three runs in the top of the third inning. The big blow was a 1-out, game-tying RBI double to left-center field by gritty junior pitcher Jacob Holladay.
Saint Ignatius, which now stands 2-2 heading into Friday's 1 PM final game as a third seed at the SBC (opponent to be determined), closed to 3-2 off a two-out, RBI triple to right-center field by junior third baseman and Nebraska recruit Michael Holdsworth in the bottom of the third. Michael's three-bagger scored versatile junior Flynn Lenehan, who beat out a high chopper for an infield hit to start the bottom of the third.
Sumter, playing with an undaunted confidence, came right back with three more runs in the top of the fourth. Second baseman Joshua Sykes got things started with a first-pitch leadoff single to right field and Holladay, first baseman Drake Thames and right fielder Bryce Lyons provided RBI singles.
Taking advantage of every opportunity Saint Ignatius provided, the Fighting Gamecocks put together another three-run inning in the top of the sixth before yielding a run to the Wildcats in the bottom of the seventh.
Holladay pitched six complete innings, giving up five hits and two earned runs on 84 pitches. He totaled eight strikeouts. Saint Ignatius starter Matt Hunt worked three innings, yielding two hits, two earned runs and three walks on 58 pitches. Matt had one strikeout.
The final line score on the game was 9-8-2 for Sumter and 3-6-4 for the Wildcats.
"I've said it a million times, the greatest thing about baseball is, unlike football, we don't have to wait a week to play again," said Coach Ganor.