The seventh-ranked Dillon Wildcats held on for a 7-6 eighth inning win over the fourth-ranked Waccamaw Warriors on Tuesday night in Dillon in varsity baseball action.
Dillon was hitless through the first three innings, but managed four runs in the fourth with Ethan Hayes and Joseph Scott each hitting a two-run double to put the Wildcats up 4-1. Patrick Herring singled in the fifth for a RBI and Hayes had a RBI groundout to improve the lead.
The Wildcats were up 6-1 heading into the top of the sixth, but Waccamaw’s Zac Sparaco and Levi Almond both singled and the Warriors capitalized on three wild pitches to pick up three runs. Then Waccamaw’s Justin Colgrove hit a solo homer in the top of the seventh to leave the Warriors trailing by one. Curtis Long hit to the left for a single, and with two outs and two strikes, Cole Cook hit into the right for a double to score Long and tie the game at 6-6.
In the bottom of the inning, the Wildcats were in scoring position but Sparaco managed to strick out Kaleb Page to send the game into extra innings. Dillon held the Warriors off in the top of the eight, and in the bottom, Dillon’s Joseph Scott walked, advanced on two wild pitches, and scored on a third wild pitch to give Dillon the win.
Weston Bailey earned the win on the mound, pitching four innings of relief of Ethan Hayes for five hits, five runs, and eight outs. Waccamaw’s Tucker Perry started for the Warriors for three hitless innings, and Zac Sparaco took the loss on the mound.
At bat for Dillon, Weston Bailey went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases and two runs scored; Ethan Hayes went 1-for-4 with three RBI and a double; Joseph Scott went 2-for-3 with one run scored; Patrick Herring singled for one RBI; and CJ Sowells, Duncan Callahan, and Kaleb Page each scored a run for the Wildcats.
At bat for Waccamaw, Andrew Reichert had two hits and two RBI to lead the Warriors.
The Wildcats improved to 9-1 overall and 5-0 in Region 8-2A for first place in the conference.
Dillon will be on the road for the next several games, traveling to Marion on Friday; Mullins on Tuesday, April 8; and Waccamaw on Thursday, April 10.
