Berkeley rallies from 6-1 deficit with seven unanswered runs
Longtime Berkeley High School baseball coach Landy Cox didn’t lose faith when the Stags were down by five runs after two innings. He had the same thought running through his head and kept reminding his team of their two sayings.
“It’s just find a way and expect to win,” Cox said after watching his club rally for an 8-6 victory over visiting West Florence Thursday, May 22, in Moncks Corner. “That’s what we stand by. We robbed some home runs tonight. We haven’t hit too many home runs this season but we hit two tonight. We just want to figure out a way to win the baseball game.”
The Stags took the Class 5A Div. II Lower State championship series, 2-0. Berkeley won Game 1 Tuesday, May 20, on the road by a score of 8-0. This was different. West Florence plated six runs in the top of second inning to seemingly gain control.
“I think no doubt they believed they could win this baseball game (despite being down big),” Cox said. “I think (West Florence's) pitcher had an ERA of 1.00 or less but I just thought we took great swings. We pieced it together pitching-wise and made some big-league plays behind them.”
The Stags host the first game of the best-of-3 state championship series Tuesday, May 27 against either Catawba Ridge or Indian Land and Cox expects a full house at Jim Bradley Field.
“What an atmosphere this is,” Cox said. “If there is a better atmosphere in high school baseball I’d like to see it.”
Game 2 Thursday, May 29, is on the Upper State champion’s field and the if-necessary game would be Saturday, May 31, at a neutral site.
Berkeley is seeking its second state championship in three years. The Stags (20-10) won their only other crown in 2022. They enter the state series on a nine-game winning streak. It’s hard to believe the Stags were once 11-10 and won just two of their five region series in the regular season.
“I’ve never seen a bunch of kids just get confidence like this,” Cox said. “When you’re successful and you believe in the system, you get confidence. That’s what we’ve got right now. They believe in each other.”
Right fielder Devon Hogue knocked in three runs, including two on a home run in the bottom of the third inning that highlighted a four-run at-bat and pulled the Stags within 6-5. He also drove in Berkeley's first run in the bottom of the first.
Third baseman Easton Little tied it up, 6-6, on a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the fifth inning. First baseman Bryson Heath followed with a two-run blast for the final tally for the Stags. Relievers Henry Rivers and Gavin Garb recorded the final six outs, with Barb throwing a spotless seventh after inheriting a runner. He finished the game on a strikeout to lock in the save.
“He was cool and calm in a time when his heartbeat should have been beating fast, but it was beating slow,” Cox said.
Reliever Hunter Morris earned the win in relief, going 3.2 innings. He allowed two hits and one earned run after entering the game in the second inning.
Outfielder Ryan Richardson had Berkeley’s other RBI and made an impact with his glove.
“Our defense was unbelievable,” Cox said. “We made some big league plays. What a play Ryan makes going over the top of the fence. This was a great baseball game. West Florence is a good baseball team. Hats off to them for them to come into this and throw it at us like they did. What a good baseball team.”
Berkeley's baseball team can become the school's second state champion for the 2024-25 school year. The girls' basketball team also hoisted the big trophy during the winter.