By Thomas Grant Jr.
As Lexington High School celebrated graduation Wednesday, it was still competing for state titles in two spring sports.
The baseball team finally learned their Class 5A state final opponent Tuesday nearly a week after defeating Dorman 5-2 to win the Upper State title.
It all started last Thursday after it appeared Summerville had defeated Ashley Ridge 6-4 in extra innings in the deciding game of the Lower State final. Following the game, however, Ashley Ridge protested that Summerville pitcher Thayer Tavormina had exceeded the pitch count by 10 from the combined number thrown the day before.
League rules stipulate if a pitcher throws consecutive days, he has a maximum of 75 pitches available on the second day. A violation of the pitch-count rules means an automatic forfeit which the league upheld the following day.
Summerville appealed the ruling before the Executive Committee Tuesday, delaying the start of the state final. At the same time, Lexington made an appeal to freeze the pitcher availability to those pitchers vailable for the Lower State champion.
Lexington head coach Brian Hucks cited losing the availability advantage from clinching its final first as a result of Summerville’s appeal.
The Committee rejected both appeals by votes of 11-0 to uphold the forfeit in favor of Ashley Ridge and 8-3 not to grant Lexington’s freeze pitch request.
With Summerville opting not to go to the Appellate Panel, the Best-of-Three series between the Wildcats and Swamp Foxes is set. Game One is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. in Lexington, Game Two will take place Friday at 6:30 p.m. and Game Three (if necessary) at Airport High School.
LEXINGTON SOFTBALL
The softball team looked to forced a deciding game in the Best-of-Three Class 5A final matchup with defending champion Summerville.
The Lady Wildcats were shut out 4-0 in Game One at home. University of South Carolina commit Ansley Bennett threw a no-hitter as she struck out 13 batters and allowed two hits.
Katie Guilliam put the Lady Green Wave ahead in the first inning with a leadoff home run. Melanie Edwards added a 2-run homer in the fifth inning as she and Guilliam accounted for four of the six hits allowed by Lexington starter Haley Manz.
Eighth grader Naomi Little held Summerville hitless in two scoreless innings to finish the game. Game Three, if necessary, would be scheduled at a site to be determined Friday.
Mid-Carolina baseball
The Rebels played Game One of its Best-of-Three Class 2A final series with defending champion Oceanside Collegiate.
They lost 4-0 to the Landsharks at The Shipyard Park in Charleston as Charlie Becker held them to two hits in six innings.
Game Two took place Wednesday in Prosperity, with Game Three (if necessary) to be determined at a neutral site on Friday.
All-Star Games
The high school baseball season will conclude in Lexington County May 29-30 with the South Carolina Baseball Coaches Association’s North/South All-Star Games.
Day One will take place at three different ballparks all starting at 2:30 p.m. The Select Game will be played at Lexington, the Classes A/3A/5A contest is scheduled for River Bluff and the Classes 3A/4A game at Gilbert.
Jackson Cionek, Jackson Burton and Will Burgess of Lexington and Matthew Rollison of Dutch Fork were named to the South Select team. Jake Peterson and Foster Apple of Chapin and Lexington’s Tradd Burton were named to the Classes A/3A/5A team. Scott Hardy of Gilbert was named to the South Class 3A/4A team.
Photos courtesy of lexingtonwildcats.com
