The Latta Vikings took a 3-2 to loss from Hartsville on the road on Monday night in varsity baseball action.
Latta scored first in the top of the first inning as Eric McGirt opened the game with a double and advanced on a grounder from Cledus Williams to put the Vikings up 1-0. Hartsville held off Latta through the second inning but picked up one runner in the bottom of the second to tie the game 1-1.
Latta went ahead 2-1 in the top of the third with Brady Hatchell reaching on a single, advancing on a grounder from McGirt and a fly from Cledus Williams, and scoring on a single from Jackson Williams. The Vikings held the lead until the bottom of the seventh when Hartsville’s Austin Morris led off with a walk and Chandler Melton hit a triple to tie the game 2-2. A fielder’s choice hit from Cal Brunson gave the Red Foxes a 3-2 lead for the win.
On the mound for Hartsville, Matt Lynch pitched one inning and allowed just two walks. Andrew Coker pitched six innings for the Red Foxes, giving up five hits, two earned runs, and one walk, striking out seven.
For the Vikings, John Kever Love pitched one and two-thirds innings for the loss, allowing four hits, four earned runs, and one walk, striking out one. Daniel Khalil and Jackson Williams each pitched one inning for one hit, and Eric McGirt gave up three walks in one inning on the mound. Caleb Mishue allowed one hit and one walk in one inning, and McLeod Carmichael spent an inning on the mound with no hits and no outs.
At bat for Hartsville, Toby Burchfield went 3-for-4 with a double and one run scored; Cal Brunson went 1-for4-2 with two RBI and also reached on two walks; Matt King went 1-for-2 with a double and one RBI and also reached on a walk; Chandler Melton went 1-for-4 with one RBI and one run; Austin Morris scored one run; Christopher Weekley went 1-for-4; and Grant Thompson went 1-for-4 with a double.
For the Vikings, Eric McGirt went 1-for-3 with a double and one run scored, also reaching on a walk and getting a fielder’s choice hit; Jackson Williams went 1-for-3 with one RBI; John Kever Love went 1-for-3 with one RBI; Austin Miller went 1-for-3; Brady Hatchell went 1-for-2 with one run, also reaching on a walk; Daniel Khalil had one stolen base on a walk; and Cledus Williams had two fielder’s choice hits. Latta had five hits and two errors in the effort.
Latta finished out the regular season with a 14-5-2 record and the Region 8-2A title. Hartsville improved to 21-1 on the season.
Latta was scheduled to host Scott’s Branch on Thursday night in the first round of the Class A District VIII baseball playoffs. The winner will advance to game 4 on Saturday while the loser will face elimination.
