Latta’s #11 Jackson Williams went 5-for-5 with a triple and two doubles for five RBI against Branchville on Wednesday. (Photo by Betsy Barfield Bridgers.)
After shutting out Branchville 7-0 on Saturday, the Latta Vikings claimed the Class A, District VIII title on Wednesday with a 17-9 win over Branchville, advancing to the first round of lower state playoffs for a 7-0 win over East Clarendon.
In Wednesday’s district championship game, Branchville took a 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning, but the Vikings picked up two runners in the bottom to cut the lead to 4-2. The Yellow Jackets brought in three runs in the top of the second to go ahead 7-2, but Latta again picked up two runs to close the gap to 7-4. Latta held off Branchville in the third and picked up one more run in the bottom of the inning, but the Yellow Jackets scored one run each in the fourth and fifth for a 9-5 lead.
The Vikings turned the game around in the bottom of the fifth, breaking loose for eight runs and leading off with a walk. Three base hits got the scoring started, and with two outs, Justin Williams and John Kever Love both hit doubles to keep the scoring going. With two outs, Austin Miller reached on an error, and Caleb Mishue and Jonathan Ray hit singles to load the bases. McLeod Carmichael then doubled but a grounder from Brady Hatchell ended the inning with the Vikings up 13-9.
Latta kept the Yellow Jackets from scoring the rest of the way and picked up four more runs in the bottom of the sixth to seal the win. Eric McGirt and Cledus Williams both singled to start the inning, and a triple from Jackson Williams scored both. Love singled to score Williams, and Miller singled to advance Love, with Noah Moody drawing an error to load the bases and Ray making a sacrifice fly to score Love. Miller was taken out on the way to third for another out, and another double from Carmichael put runners on second and third, but a grounder from Hatchell ended the scoring.
On the mound for the Gators, John Kever Love got the win, pitching two innings for two hits, two outs, and one hit by pitch. Caleb Mishue pitched two innings for two hits, one run, one walk, and one out; Eric McGirt pitched two innings for six hits, three runs, one earned run, one walk, and one out; and Jackson Williams pitched one inning for four hits, five runs, three earned runs, one walk, one hit by pitch, one wild pitch, one balk, and two outs.
On the mound for Branchville, J. Conner took the loss, giving up 11 hits, seven runs, and four earned runs in one and a third innings. A. Lunsford pitched 4.2 innings for 15 hits, 10 runs, eight earned runs, two walks, and one out.
At bat for Lake View, Jackson Williams went 5-for-5 with a triple, two doubles, five RBI, one stolen base, and two runs scored; John Kever Love went 4-for-5 with a double, a stolen base, three RBI, and one run scored; Eric McGirt went 3-for-5 with two RBI, three runs scored, and a stolen base; Cledus Williams went 3-for-4 with one RBI; Jonathan Ray went 3-for-4 with one RBI and two runs scored, also hitting a sacrifice fly; McLeod Carmichael went 3-for-4 with two doubles, two RBI, and two runs scored, also reaching on a walk; Caleb Mishue went 2-for-2 with two runs scored, also reaching on a walk; Brady Hatchell went 2-for-5 with one run; Austin Miller went 1-for-5 with one run, also reaching on an error; Daniel Khalil scored two runs; and Deonte Stanley added one run in the win. Latta had 26 hits and three errors.
For Branchville, Chavis went 3-for-5 with two runs scored, also reaching on an error; Watkins went 3-for-5 with two doubles, one RBI, a stolen base, and two runs scored; Bernsted went 2-for-2 with two RBI and a stolen base, also reaching on two walks; Lunsford went 1-for-5 with one run; Conner went 1-for-2 with three runs scored, also reaching on two hit by pitches and a walk; Peeples went 1-for-4; Reynolds went 1-for-3 with one RBI, also making a sacrifice fly; Hobby went 1-for-4; and Blankenship went 1-for-4 with one run scored. The Yellow Jackets had 14 hits and three errors in the effort.
Click here to see more photos from Wednesday’s district championship game from Craig Brown!
The win advanced the Vikings to the first round of the Class A lower state baseball playoffs, where they hosted East Clarendon for a 7-0 win.
Latta picked up three runs in the bottom of the first, one in the third, and three in the fifth, and held off the Wolverines to seal the win.
John Kever Love gave up two hits, one walk, and two hit by pitch in seven innings on the mound, striking out six for the win. East Clarendon’s William Ard took the loss, pitching one and a third innings for three hits, three runs, three earned runs, one wild pitch, one hit by pitch, and three walks. Austin Huggins pitched 3.1 innings for four hits, four runs, two earned runs, one walk, two hit by pitch, and two outs, and Jared Hair pitched one and a third innings for two walks and two outs.
At bat for the Vikings, Eric McGirt went 1-for-2 with one run scored, also reaching on two walks; Cledus Williams reached on three hit by pitches and one walk; Jackson Williams went 1-for-4 with one run, also reaching on an error; John Kever Love went 1-for-4 with two RBI; Caleb Mishue went 1-for-2 with two runs scored and one stolen base, also reaching on two walks; Austin Miller went 1-for-4; Jonathan Ray made a sacrifice bunt for one RBI; McLeod Carmichael went 1-for-2 with one RBI and one run scored, also drawing a walk; Brady Hatchell went 1-for-3 with one run; and Daniel Khalil added one run in the win. Latta had seven hits and one error.
For East Clarendon, Jared Hair went 1-for-2, also reaching on a hit by pitch; Michel Burgess went 1-for-2 with a stolen base; Zach Coker reached on a walk and a hit by pitch; and Peyton Coker reached on an error for one stolen base. The Wolverines had two hits and one error in the effort.
Click here to see photos from Saturday’s lower state game against East Clarendon!
Latta improved to 18-5-2 overall and was scheduled to host Hannah-Pamplico on Monday night with the winner advancing directly to the lower state championship. The Red Raiders defeated Bamberg-Ehrhardt 2-1 on Saturday. East Clarendon was scheduled to host Bamberg in an elimination bracket game on Monday.
Photos by Betsy Barfield Bridgers. Click the images below to view at full size!
