Stags, Copperheads Do Battle in Front of Packed House
Berkeley courtesy runner Gavin Barb just gets back to third base bag before Catawba Ridge's Alex Downes tag.
By Rob Gantt
Special to the HSSR
MONCKS CORNER - Those who gathered around Jim Bradley Field for Game 1 of the Class 5A Div. II state championship baseball series got their money’s worth and then some. There was plenty of free baseball, too, Wednesday, May 28, in Moncks Corner.
In a classic pitcher’s duel that morphed into an epic marathon, Berkeley slipped past visiting Catawba Ridge, 2-1, in 10 innings. The Lower State champion Stags won their 10th straight game when courtesy runner Henry Montgomery raced home from third base on a wild pitch for the game-winning run.
Montgomery was running for relief pitcher Hunter Morris, who reached on a walk to lead off the bottom of the 10th. The Stags eventually loaded the bases with nobody out and survived the series opener.
“We handled the pressure right there at the end,” Berkeley coach Landy Cox said. “Their kid (starter Caden Glauber) did an incredible job, but our kids just kept battling, kept fighting, wouldn’t quit.”
Berkeley improved to 21-10 and Upper State champion Catawba Ridge dropped to 21-9 heading into Game 2 at 6:30 p.m., Friday, May 30, at Catawba Ridge.
Game 3, if necessary, is Saturday, May 31, at Riley Park in Sumter.
The Stags have a chance to claim their second state championship since 2022, a time that also reminds Cox there is still plenty work to be done in this series if Berkeley wants to hoist the trophy again.
“It’s big to win the first one, but I’ve been here before,” Cox said. “We lost the first one in 2022 (to Fort Mill). This thing definitely isn’t over yet. They’ve got a good team. We’ve got our hands full. Their next pitcher is 8-0. It’s going to be a dogfight. We’re going to have to keep it a low-scoring game like we did.”
In Game 1, Catawba Ridge’s Caden Glauber and Berkeley’s Gavin Gaskins threw well enough to garner the win on the bump. Both starters pitched into the ninth inning before being pulled for pitch count reasons.
Glauber allowed just three hits and fanned nine batters. Gaskins scattered eight hits and struck out five batters.
Berkeley’s lone scratch against Glauber came on a Henry Rivers sacrifice bunt in the bottom of the third. Copperheads outfielder Tyler Causey prevented more damage with a nice diving grab to end the inning.
Catawba Ridge’s Britton Nash provided the equalizer on a solo home run to left field in the top of the sixth inning.
In extra innings, Berkeley cut down the go-ahead run at the plate twice. Morris came on to record the final five outs for the Stags, stranding the bases loaded in the top of the 10th inning.
“Everybody has been doubting us all season,” Morris said. “I think we had maybe one person pick us to win this game tonight. (Glauber) is a really good guy. He just shut us down all game, but we kept it close and worked as hard as we could. We finally got in there and got it all.”
Morris played a role in the bottom of the 10th inning, too, leading off with a walk in only his second plate appearance of the season. He was supposed to take a 3-2 pitch but fouled it off before drawing ball four.
Montgomery came on to run for Morris and catcher Braylend Booker put down a bunt, just hoping to move Montgomery to second base. The throw to first base from Catawba reliever Nash, however, was off the mark and Montgomery motored around to third base. Booker moved up to second base on the same error, followed by leadoff hitter Hudson Clark drawing an intentional walk.
The first offering to Rivers sailed past the catcher to the backstop, allowing Montgomery to race home.
“They pitched their hearts out,” Cox said of Gaskins and Morris. “They laid it all on the line. For that to be the last time Gavin Gaskins leaves the mound on this field, what an incredible job by a senior.”
The Copperheads’ Glauber and designated hitter Caden Howard were the only two players on either squad to tally multiple hits, going 2-for-4. The two teams combined for seven errors.
Catawba Ridge starter Caden Glauber struck out nine batters over 8.1 innings, allowing just three hits and one run.
Berkeley's Gavin Gaskins allowed one run in 8.1 innings during the Stags' 2-1 win over Catawba Ridge.
