Avoiding a three-game playoff series sweep to defending state American Legion champion Sumter Post 15 was not the only objective Tuesday night at Mirmow Field for Orangeburg Post 4.

After getting pummelled by Sumter 26-1 in the first two games which were both called after seven innings for the 10-run mercy rule, Post 4 saw Game Three as a chance to restore some program pride. At worst, Orangeburg looked to make a showing good enough to serve as a building-block for next season when they return 11 players.

While Post 4's season ended with the 17-8 loss, it more than made Post 15 earn its way to the second round in the nine-inning, 35-hit slugfest. Scoring more runs Wednesday night against Sumter than it had in the previous two regular-season and playoff defeats combined, Orangeburg pounded out 14 hits off three Post 15 pitchers.

They also get a yeomen effort from left-hander Tyler Davis, who provided 7 1/3 strong innings of relief pitching after Orangeburg trailed as many as eight runs.

"It would have been very easy to have packed it in," Post 4 manager Frank Leysath said. "Going into tonight, the third game, possibly the final game. You have mixed emotions about it. They could have rolled over and played dead. But they fought, they battled. I'm proud of them. It's showed the character that they guys have. It's not a tribute to me, it's a tribute to these young men who played for Post 4 this year."

Despite the struggles on the mound and defensively in committing four errors, Post 15's bats were once again the decisive factor. Sumter collected 21 hits and got close to half of its runs from Greg Lamb with five RBIs and Matt Price with four.

Sumter looked to further dampen Post 4's spirits early by jumping out to a 5-0 lead. Post 15 sent 10 batters to the plate on Post 4 starter Zack Livingston and were aided by two of Post 4's five errors on the night committed at the start of the inning which led to back-to-back ground-ruled RBI doubles by Richard Jones and Game One winner Allen Caldwell, the latter scoring two runs to make it 3-0.

After Grayson Tanner struck out, Lamb blooped an RBI single to center field and Matt Price drove in a run with a fielder's choice for Sumter's fifth run.

A resilient Post 4 came out swinging in the bottom half of the inning, loading the bases with three consecutive singles off lefthander Matt Talley. The hit parade continued with a two-run single by Josh Strock and an RBI by Derrick Still which gave the Orangeburg faithful hope in cutting the lead to 5-3.

Concentration lapses on the basepaths, however, cut short Post 4's rally as Talley managed to pick off two Orangeburg players for the first and third outs of the inning.

Sumter looked to further deflated Orangeburg's rising confidence by this time sending 11 players to the plate in the top of the second and scoring six runs. The inning started with a walk to Tyler Cappelmann, followed by a fielder's choice on which Jones advanced to second base on a throwing error.

After Caldwell singled and advanced to second as the throw from the outfield went to the catcher, Corey Prescott singled home Jones to make it 6-3. Caldwell then scored on a passed ball and Grayson Tanner singled home Prescott to extend Sumter's lead to 7-3.

Lamb's RBI double, a two-run single by Matt Price off the left field wall and an RBI sacrifice fly by Daniel Gordon pushed Sumter's lead to 11-3. It also led to Livingston's departure in favor of Davis, who got Jones to fly out to end the inning.

Davis regained a run for Orangeburg in the bottom of the second with a bloop RBI single, only to have Sumter get it back when Lamb doubled home his third run of the game in the top of the third to make 12-4. It was the only run allowed through 4 1/3 innings pitched by Davis, who provided a much-needed lift for a depleted pitching staff.

Orangeburg continued to peck away at Sumter and would knock Talley from the game after loading the bases in the bottom of the third. Drew Watcher replaced Talley and after getting Clay Dewberry to fly out, rebounded from a 3-0 count to Garrett Worrell to force him into hitting a potential inning-ending double play.

Instead, Lamb committed Sumter's third error of the game when his throw after getting the force out at second base went errant past first baseman Daniel Gordon. This allowed two Post 4 base runners to score and cut the deficit to 12-6.

Orangeburg got within 12-8 in the fifth inning after Brandon Berry dropped a single to right field which Caldwell overran and allowed Garrett Worrell to score all the way from first base. Berry advanced to third base on the play and scored on Davis' sacrifice fly to center field off new pitcher Cappelmann.

It was the last run allowed by Sumter, which touched a tiring Davis in the seventh for two runs on an RBI sacrifice fly from Tanner and a run-scoring single by Lamb. He and Price would each add one more RBI to their evening total in the ninth and Sumter got further insurance when Davis bobbled a bunt attempt by Gordon which led to the game's final run.

Sumter would close out the series with two strong defensive plays. Fittingly, it was Lamb got things started by snagging a sharp liner by Kyle Cook and made the throw at first for the out. This was followed by a diving catch in right field Tanner for the second out before the game ended with Berry hitting into a game-ending fielder's choice at second base.

Up next for Post 15 (20-5) is the winner of the Hilton Head/Georgetown series, while Post 4 finished with a 13-11 mark.

Florence

sweeps

St. George

FLORENCE -- Post 1 coach Derick Urquhart figured taking Bryce Holmes' bat out of the lineup might hurt his team.

Turns out it didn't.

Holmes made up for his absence in the team's batting order by throwing eight strong innings as Florence defeated St. George 5-2 to sweep the best-of-five first-round playoff series.

Holmes' only struggle came in the eighth with Post 1 leading 5-0. He gave up two runs and St. George had the tying run on deck but he got Hunter Hall to fly out to end the inning.

Barrett Kleinknecht came on to pitch the ninth and picked up the save.

Trey Lynch led Post 1 with two hits, including a solo homer.

Chris Bishop took the loss for Post 105, giving up eight hits and five runs. Ben Jordan led St. George with two hits.

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