Keefe Pleased with Florence Christian Baseball Season

By Dennis Brunson

           hssr.com Associate Editor

           Florence – In completing his second season in his second go-around as the baseball head coach at Florence Christian School, Scotty Keefe knows he had a much improved squad.

           “We finished 13-6, were able to host a first-round game of the (SCISA AAA) state playoffs and won,” Keefe said. “We had a good season, much improvement from last season’s 10-10 record. The team was able to keep games close and win a few of them.

           “Headed into the state playoffs we were 12-4. We lost to two better teams at the end, but I’m proud of the team and the season. We look forward to next season and building off this year’s success.”

           The Eagles were the No. 4 seed in one of the 5-team, double-elimination brackets in the playoffs. They knocked off No. 5 Colleton Prep 6-5 in the first game. They lost to eventual state champion and once-beaten Calhoun Academy in their next game before being eliminated by Pee Dee Academy.

           Florence Christian had two players selected to the All-Region 3-AAA team in Riley Minton and Brodie Hickson.

           Minton, a sophomore who also played in the SCISA North-South All-Star Game, was the top pitcher and had a 5-1 win-loss record to go with a 4.00 earned run average. At the plate, he led Florence Christian in hitting with a .404 battnig average. He was also the team leader in hits with 21 and runs scored with 19.

           Hickson, a junior, was the starting shortstop and had a .298 batting average.