WINNSBORO – They couldn’t have set up their path to another SCISA state title better if they had written it themselves.
With another region title under their belts and a 16-2 regular season record, Richard Winn is sitting nicely atop the SCISA 1A state tournament bracket. In the seven-team bracket, the Eagles received an opening round bye and advanced straight to the semi-final round to face Jefferson Davis Academy in a best-of-three series.
Game one, which started Monday but had to be finished on Tuesday because of weather delays, went just the way they wanted it: a 10-0 shutout of Jefferson Davis, ending in the fifth inning.
The Eagles opened scoring in the bottom of the first off of a single from Charlie Bonds that plated two. Owen Martin singled a few batters later to score the Eagles’ third run of the inning.
An RBI single from Anthony Armstrong in the bottom of the second put Richard Winn up 4-0.
Martin doubled to lead off the third, but was caught stealing home two batters later. Landon Smith drew a two-out walk. Miller Stuck and Bennett Nicholson drew walks to load the bases for a grand slam to left from Armstrong. The Eagles led 8-0 after three innings.
Richard Winn added two more runs in the bottom of the fifth.
Stuck singled and advanced to second on a throwing error, but was caught stealing third. Armstrong drew a walk. Bonds doubled to score Armstrong. A line-drive to center from Ethan Steward scored Bonds and ended the game 10-0.
Stuck and Armstrong split duties on the mound to no-hit the Raiders. Stuck pitched two innings on Monday. He faced seven batters and struck out five. He walked one. Armstrong threw three innings on Tuesday. He faced 12 batters and struck out three and walked two.
The Eagles traveled to Jefferson Davis on Wednesday for Game 2, but scores were not available prior to The Voice’s press deadline. The winner of the three-game series advances to face the winner of Holly Hill Academy/Newberry Academy in the State Championship Series next. The series will be held Monday, Tuesday and Thursday.
JEFFERSON DAVIS – 0-0-0-0-0-X-X – 0, 0, 3
RICHARD WINN – 3-1-4-0-2-X-X – 10, 8, 0
WP: Stuck
RW: Armstrong 2-3, HR, 5 RBI. Bonds 2-4, 2B, 3 RBI. Steward 1-2, RBI. Martin 2-3, 2B, RBI. Stuck 1-1.
