Rivers Crushes Three Run Walf-Off Homer In 8th Inning To Give Berkeley A 5-4 Win Over Lugoff-Elgin in Div. II AAAAA Baseball Playoffs
Berkeley High School Junior, Henry Rivers launched a three homer to seal the win against Lugoff-Elgin.
By Billy G. Baker
Publisher
Moncks Corner—Down 4-2 to Lugoff-Elgin, with two-out in the bottom of the 8th inning in the Div. II AAAAA baseball play-offs, Berkeley (16-8-2) center fielder Henry Rivers hit a three- run homer to deep center field on Jim Bradley Field, rescuing the Stags from the jaws of defeat in a dramatic 5-4 walk-off win on May, 9.
Just imagine, 10 years from now, a future child of Rivers coming home from a first- grade class, asking his father all about this historic moment he made happen back in 2026 on the Stags baseball team. “Dad, my teacher was at your game back then and she said you once did something amazing in a baseball game; please tell me all about it.”
The proud father, still remembering the moment as if it just happened, responds with a smile on his face. “Prior to this game I had never hit a three-run homer to win a baseball game, but I had often dreamed about it,” were the exact words Rivers repeated again from that historic home run of the night of May 9, 2026.
Rivers continues recalling the feat to his curious child, using the exact words he shared with the HSSR after the game years earlier, “The pitcher had thrown me two breaking balls, and with the count 0-2, I just knew the fast ball was coming,” said Rivers. “I knew it was gone as soon as I hit it, and I am not lying. It was a dream come true running around the bases knowing that we had just won the game with the fans going crazy.”
Hopefully, the future child of Rivers might respond, “Wow, that was really special Dad. When are you going to sign me up for a travel team so I can have dreams come true too?”
As region champions, Berkeley drew a first-round bye. Lugoff-Elgin advanced to play the Stags after the Demons had defeated White Knoll in the first round. Berkeley will now host West Florence at 6 p.m. on Monday may,11. L-E is on the road to St James on Monday.
After the game, Berkeley head coach Landy Cox shared his thoughts. “In my mind, everybody sees Henry Rivers’ three run homer, and that was great, but Bryson Heath worked his tail off from an 0-2 count to battled back to get on with a walk and then Haydon Jones, who can flat swing it, got on with a single to make the three run homer possible,” said Coach Cox. “We practice a drill called down by one all the time and would you believe that Henry hit the home run in the exact spot he hit one out in our drills the other day in practice.
“This game was hard work going 8 innings with so much on the line,” said Coach Cox. “I am very proud of the fight in our team tonight and we never gave up. We play West Florence on Monday, and we played them last year in the lower-state championship and they are a very good team. I am just proud to be 1-0 right now and not 0-1.”
L-E head coach Frankie Ward told the HSSR after the game, “My kids fought to the end and give credit to Berkeley, because they played hard to the end also,” said Coach Ward. “Landy does a great job with his guys. It is just one of those things (the Stags home run) that caused us to come out on the short end of the stick tonight.”
Coach Ward praised the play of his senior starters. They included Andrew Jefferson, Logan Crain, and shortstop Luke Ferris along with starting pitcher Michael Spear.
L-E scored one run in the top of the first when Kollin Bright drew a walk and advanced to third on an errant pick-off attempt from Berkeley starting LHP pitcher Kobe Thomas. Bright came in on an RBI ground-out by Logan Crain to give the Demons an early 1-0 lead.
The Stags responded to tie the game in the bottom of the first on a home run by senior second baseman Hudson Clark.
Berkeley went up 2-1 in the 4th when Lucas Porcelli reached on a single and advanced to third base on a double by senior first baseman Bryson Heath. Porcelli scored on a sac bunt from junior Easton Little to give the Stags a 2-1 lead.
In the top of the 6th L-E tied the game at 2 when Crain walked, stole second and later scored on an RBI single by Luke Ferrris.
In the top of the 8th L-E scored two runs to go up 4-2. Jefferson drew a walk and Ferris reached an error to place runners at first and second. Both runners advanced on a double steal. Jefferson scored an error to put the Demons up 3-1 and they plated their final run when Ferris scored on a SAC fly from Butler.
Then the Stags rallied for the win with Rivers’ three run home run in the bottom of the 8th.
Senior Gavin Barb relieved Rivers on the mound in the top of the 8th and got credit for the win. The Stags, who got 9 hits during the game, were led at the plate by Rivers who went 2-of-3 with a home run and three RBI’s along with Clark who was 2-of-e with one RBI.
L-E, limited to four hits, was led at the plate by Ferris who had two hits and one RBI along with Butler and Jake Rabon with one hit each.
