James Island walks off Lexington, 5-4, in eight innings

James Island – Game one of the Class AAAAA Division baseball state championship series lived up to the hype as James Island defeated Lexington, 5-4, in eight innings to move within a game of clinching a state title for the second straight year.

Both teams are defending state champions. James Island won the AAAA state title last season while Lexington won the AAAAA championship. Both schools were bumped up to the new division by the South Carolina High School League.

Senior Stow Rogers delivered a walk-off single in the bottom of the eighth to lift James Island to a 5-4 win. The 29-3 Trojans will look to win the title at Lexington on Wednesday night.

“We obviously felt good with Stow coming to the plate in that situation,” said James Island coach Matt Spivey. “He’s a senior and seniors do what seniors do. He’s a kid that works really hard and it’s good to see the hard work pay off in a big situation.”

Rogers’ single to left with the bases loaded and no outs ended a back-and-forth battle that both teams had chances to win.

Lexington got going early against James Island freshman starting pitcher Brayden Easterling, a surprise starter by Spivey. Lexington catcher Toby Sobieralski opened the game with a homerun to give the Wildcats a 1-0 lead. Sobieralski finished the night with three hits.

“It worked out for us,” said Spivey of the decision. “The freshman gave us three innings and kept us in the game early.”

The Trojans answered with a run of their own in the bottom of the first, getting a two-out RBI double from sophomore second baseman Trip Ostergard. A line drive double down the left field line scored Jake Amman, who reached on a walk.

Another solo homerun, this from sophomore Christian Spivey, gave Lexington a 2-1 lead in the top of the third.

James Island had another answer in the bottom of third. After Amman tripled to left, Taj Marchand delivered a sacrifice fly to tie the game 2-2.

The Trojans earned their first lead of the game in the bottom of the fourth. Amman doubled in a run to make it 3-2 but the Trojans left the bases loaded.

This time it was Lexington’s chance to answer and the Wildcats did in the top of the fifth on a Lincoln Hill sacrifice fly to center, tying the game at three.

In the top of the seventh, Lexington loaded the bases with no outs. Sobieralski singled, his third hit of the game, and reached second on a passed ball. He then reached third on a ball in the dirt, leading to Intentional walks to load the bases.

A ground ball to Marchand resulted in the first out at home but Landon Blight delivered a single to right to score a run and give the Wildcats a 4-3 lead.

Ostergard relieved Cooper Jones on the mound and got his team out of further damage.

Marchand led off the bottom of the seventh with a double down the line in left and moved to third on a wild pitch. Ostergard tied the game with a single to left. After a flyout, Ostergard was picked off by Lexington southpaw Brayden Studebaker.

In the eighth, Lexington put two runners on with an out for Spivey, who was struck out by Colt Hernandez, James Island’s fourth pitcher of the night. Hernandez got USC signee Brandon Cromer to flyout to center, ending the threat.

“Big moment there,” Spivey said. “Really proud of the way he responded.”

Braden Deprill opened the eighth for James Island with a single. Brady Dantzler bunted for a single. Pinch-hitter Collin Anderson walked to load the bases, bringing up Rogers. The College of Charleston signee ripped a single to left for the game-winner.

“The bottom of the order came through for us,” Spivey said. “We felt good about our chances if we could get back to the top and we did. If we leave the bases loaded and don’t score there, we don’t win the game.”