Philip Simmons Defeats East Clarendon, 11-1, To Advance To AA Baseball Finals Against Batesburg-Leesville

By Billy G. Baker

Publisher

Berkeley County — East Clarendon (25-8) was coming off two hard-fought one run wins over traditional power Cheraw in the Lower State AA baseball playoffs, so most observers expected a very competing game when the Wolverines visited “sit back team” Philip Simmons on May, 21^st.

However, the Iron Horses pounded out 11 hits in their 11-1 victory to advance to the AA state finals at home on Saturday (May, 24^th) against Batesburg-Leesville, who defeated Strom Thurmond (9-4) to advance to the finals.

“All I know about  Batesburg-Leesville, right now, is that they are a solid hitting team and they played a tough schedule, as we did, this season,” said Philip Simmons head coach Josh Kubisz. “We expect a knock-down drag-out series with them. We like the fact we are at home for game one and we hope that trampolines us to success.”

Coach Kubisz said it was not official yet, but he was hoping to start the game at 2 p.m. on Saturday.

Philip Simmoms is expected to start ace lefty Nolan Clifford. Clifford is 8-2 with a 2.23 ERA in 53.1 innings of duty. He has a team leading 82 strike-outs.  

In commenting about his team’s huge win over East Clarendon, Coach Kubisz said, “We have now won six straight games in the play-offs and I am so proud of this team,” he said. “We won a region title, and we have been building for this success around 9 seniors, with five of them starting.

“We turned three double plays today, with no errors so our defense was really good,” said Coach Kubisz. “We got 11 hits today and Daniel Ebeling had a great game with three hits, four RBI’s, with a double and one home run.

“We played a really tough schedule this season getting ready for the play-offs,” said Coach Kubisz. “We played seven teams from Virginia and a highly respected team (Providence Day) from North Carolina. 

“Pierce Mullin did fantastic job on the mound today and he had all three of his pitches working today,” said Coach Kubisc. “His curve ball was breaking really well and he was able to stay ahead in the count. He and our ace,  Nolan Clifford have given us a strong 1-2 punch all season and while Clifford broke the school record for strike-outs (172) already this season both of them are in a battle right now for the single season strike-out record at Philip Simmons which both of them have already broke. Right now, Clifford had 84 strike-outs on the season while Mullin is at 78.”

Mullin is now 6-2 on the mound with a 2.93 ERA. In 57.1 innings he has 75 strike-outs.   

   Coach Kubisz said the senior team captain type leader has been senior shortstop Charlie Helms (.354, 21 RBI’s, & 17 stolen bases).  “Charlie is a real dirt-bag on the field and he gives you a 100 per cent in the batting cage and 100 cent of effort in a game,” said Coach Kubisz. “He is everything a coach is looking for in a player. He is the epitome of what a baseball player should be.”

East Clarendon head coach Curtis Johnson told the HSSR after the game, “We just could not ever put together two hits in a row, or get that a timely hit when we needed it,” said Coach Johnson. “ We would get two guys on and then hit a ball right at them. When we get back, we will talk about what happened today and try to learn from tis game. We had some goals this season and we reached a lot of our goals and I am very proud of that.

“I am proud of our seniors and they were all unbelievable,” said Coach Johnson. “They were Cooper Goff (.314), Dawson Beard (379 & 20 RBI’s),  Whitt Nesbitt (.250), Foster Matthews (.378 & 26 RBI’s), and Hunter Mixon (.400 & 19 RBI’s).

“They led by example and came to work everyday and they were the foundation of what we had going on over the past two seasons,” said Coach Johnson.  “I have been here two seasons now and we have won 47 games, so we are super proud of what this senior group was able to help us build.

“We played some really good baseball teams down the stretch and we had a good run,” said Coach Johnson. “This team competed hard every time they went out. They feel like they can win every time they step between the white lines.”

Philip Simmons sent 10 batters to the plate in the bottom of the first inning scoring five runs to gain early momentum. Right field lead-off batter Alex Romanski reached as a hit batter and then with one-out left fielder Kyle Bachman reached after being hit by pitch giving the Iron Horses two base runners. First baseman clean-up batter Daniel Scarth then singled to center  scoring Romanski for a 1-0 lead.

Catcher Daniel Ebeling then singled to center scoring Bachman to make it 2-0. Third baseman Brian Ebeling drew a walk to put runners at first and third. Pitcher Pierce Mullen came up next and hit a line drive double to center field that scored Scarth, and D. Ebeling to make the score 4-0. Second baseman Blake Johnson drew a walk and two batters later B. Ebeling made it 5-0 when he scored on a passed ball.

In the second inning the Iron Horses made it 7-0 adding two insurance runs after the first two batters were retired. Daniel Scarth drew a walk and stole second. Then Daniel Ebeling hit a towering home run over the right field fence to add two runs on the scoreboard for Philip Simmons.

In the bottom of the 4^th inning shortstop Charlie Helms reached on a single to left field and then Bachman n reached on an error. Scarth then had an RBI single to bring in Helms and make the score 8-0. Two batters later B, Ebeling had an RBI single to score Bachmann making it 9-0.

East Clarendon scored their only run of the game in the top of the 5^th.  Left-fielder Whitt Nesbitt drew a walk and then Cooper Goff was hit-by-pitch giving the Wolverines two base runners. Catcher Kenley Sullivan then singled to bring in Nesbitt for EC’s only run  of the game.

In the bottom of the 6^th inning Philip Simmons added two runs to win the game 11-1 as the game was over at that point due to the 10-run after five innings rules. Bachmann reached second base on a two base throwing error. Two batters later D. Ebeling doubled Bachmann in to make it 10-1. The game ended on a single RBI by B. Ebeling that scored courtesy runner Tavien Orellana for the final run of the game.  

Philip Simmons comes into the game with B-L with the following stat leaders: Bachmann (.425 & 28 RBI’s) while Helms is at .354 with 21 RBI’s. D Ebeling is at .315 with 24 RBI’s and two home runs. B. Ebeling is at .308 with 19 RBI’s. Scarth is at .297 with 19 RBI’s and two homers and Romanski is at .254 with 10 RBI’s including 18 stolen bases and four home runs.

Philip Simmons packed their side of the stands against East Clarendon, and Coach Kubisz said the team’s fan support has been very much appreciated by the team.