As the Newberry players high-fived around home plate at Mirmow Field Saturday night, the lights began to flash and a whistle blew in the distance signaling the coming of a train on the tracks just outside the walls of the old baseball park.

Fittingly, when that train rolled through at 9:10 p.m., its load -- a number of tanks -- showed off a small sampling of the United States military’s arsenal. Newberry’s high-fives were the direct result of its own offensive showing just moments before the gates dropped on the road outside the park. There was no seventh-inning stretch at Mirmow Saturday, just a seventh-inning onslaught from the visiting team that powered Post 24 to an 11-8 victory, spoiling Post 4’s home opener.

Orangeburg led 8-7 heading into the top of the seventh, but after Newberry led off with a trio of singles, Post 4 relief pitcher Robert McCurry, who took over for starter Don Sandifer in the sixth inning, was lifted in favor of Korey Davis. Post 24 added three more runs off Davis, making it 11-8, before Andrew Robinson came in to strike out the final two batters of the inning. Robinson went on to record five strikeouts over the final three innings, but the damage had been done.

“I don’t think we played very smart baseball tonight,” Post 4 head coach Frank Leysath said. “That is the bottom line. Routine plays, we didn’t make. We throwed the ball around, we kicked the ball around, we just ... I didn’t think the enthusiasm was there tonight. Maybe it’s a Saturday night.”

The seventh-inning breakdown spoiled a strong comeback by Post 4. Newberry held a 6-0 lead heading into the bottom of the third, but Chase Bell led that at-bat off with a single for Post 4. Tyler Metts hit into a fielder’s choice, and was followed by Randon Sandifer, who was 2-for-4, who doubled to move Metts to third. Catcher Dillon Way, who was 2-for-3 with four RBIs, singled to score Sandifer and Metts and cut the lead to 6-2. Don Sandifer, who was 2-for-4 with an RBI, singled and Kyle Gallman hit a grounder off the chest of Newberry shortstop Carl Edwards to load the bases. Coty Smith followed with a walk to bring in a run, cutting it to 6-3, and Trez Wienges provided Post 4’s final run of the inning, bringing home Don Sandifer, on a fielder’s choice making it 6-4.

That’s the way things stayed until the bottom of the sixth when Way stepped to the plate with the bases loaded. The Post 4 catcher hit a line-drive single to center to bring in a pair of runs.

“I’m seeing the ball good,” Way said. “Nothing has really changed since I came back home. Slower pitching, but I’m glad I’m hitting it. I just hope it keeps up.”

On the single, Way’s ball slipped through the legs of center fielder Jeffery Hentz’s legs, allowing Randon Sandifer to race home, making it 7-6 Post 4. Way advanced to third base. Don Sandifer followed, driving in Way, to give Post 4 an 8-6 lead that would last just one out.

“The pitching, I thought, was decent if we would have made the plays,” Leysath said. “We didn’t make the plays. We got down 6-0, and, not taking anything from Newberry, they have a good ball club, but, I mean, there were plays that should have been made and we just didn’t make them. Why? We have to figure that out between now and Monday when we play Richland. It’s that simple. We came out flat and played flat. Then, we came back and took an 8-6 lead and we just couldn’t close the door.”

Post 4 (1-1) begans a four-game slate Monday at home against Richland Post 6. Game time is set for 7:30 p.m. at Mirmow Field.

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