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Just two weeks into the season, and it’s already looking like the road to the NCISAA 3A state championship once again goes through Crusader Park.
Grace Christian baseball seized the No. 1 spot in Thursday’s MaxPreps power ratings for the 3A classification, and then followed that up in the evening with their sixth win in as many tries, a 3-2 win over Seaforth High School.
The Crusaders, fresh off a 13-3 win over South Carolina power Latta the previous night, got a challenge from the Hawks. Each team collected just four hits, and after Seaforth tied the game 2-2 in the top of the fifth, Grace needed an RBI double from Luke Roupe in the bottom half of the inning to retake the lead. Anaan Rahming pitched a scoreless sixth and Riley Cuddy worked around a walk to strike out the side in the seventh.
The decisive run was scored after a strategic decision by Seaforth (2-5) backfired on them. Wesley Clewis led off the inning by reaching on an error. He stole second base, but Rahming struck out, bringing Matt Murchison to the plate. Murchison is one of the hottest hitters in the state and already had a hit earlier in the game, so the Hawks gave him the four-finger salute and put him on first base. However, Roupe worked the count to 2-0 against Hawks pitcher Easton Sykes, fouled off a pitch, and then roped a liner into left field for a double.
That was all the Crusaders needed. They had taken a 2-0 lead in the second. Caleb Ellis had a one-out double, and Ethan Bunce reached on an error that let Ellis come in. Bunce later stole second base, but then Grace sent Preston Hill to courtesy-run for him. The next man struck out, but Reggie Marshall hit a 2-2 pitch into left field and traded places with Bunce.
Seaforth tied the game 2-2 in the fifth, when PJ Lucas hit a two-run homer.
Grace used four pitchers in the game. Luke Garris started the game with two scoreless innings. Jaxon Wade followed, tossing three innings and striking out five while allowing the two runs. Rahming and then Cuddy finished up.
The Crusaders will keep facing Hawks this weekend. Grace hosted the Highland Hawks of Warrenton, Va. on Friday night and will face them again on Saturday at 1 p.m.
Grace 13, Latta 3Latta won the state championship at one level of South Carolina high school baseball last year, but the Vikings were no match for Grace. Roupe and Murchison drove in nine runs between them in a game where Latta jumped ahead 3-0 in the first inning of Wednesday’s game, but then failed to make it to the seventh.
Marshall doubled with one out in the bottom of the sixth to drive in Alex Pena Jimenez and Garris and give the Crusaders a 10-run lead.
Highlights of the game included a two-run homer by Murchison in the second inning, an RBI double by Marshall in that same inning, a two-run single by Roupe in the fourth, a two-run single by Murchison in the fifth, and another two-run single by Roupe later that inning. Roupe ended the game with five RBI and Murchison scored and drove in four.
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Grace Christian baseball seized the No. 1 spot in Thursday’s MaxPreps power ratings for the 3A classification, and then followed that up in the evening with their sixth win in as many tries, a 3-2 win over Seaforth High School.
The Crusaders, fresh off a 13-3 win over South Carolina power Latta the previous night, got a challenge from the Hawks. Each team collected just four hits, and after Seaforth tied the game 2-2 in the top of the fifth, Grace needed an RBI double from Luke Roupe in the bottom half of the inning to retake the lead. Anaan Rahming pitched a scoreless sixth and Riley Cuddy worked around a walk to strike out the side in the seventh.
The decisive run was scored after a strategic decision by Seaforth (2-5) backfired on them. Wesley Clewis led off the inning by reaching on an error. He stole second base, but Rahming struck out, bringing Matt Murchison to the plate. Murchison is one of the hottest hitters in the state and already had a hit earlier in the game, so the Hawks gave him the four-finger salute and put him on first base. However, Roupe worked the count to 2-0 against Hawks pitcher Easton Sykes, fouled off a pitch, and then roped a liner into left field for a double.
That was all the Crusaders needed. They had taken a 2-0 lead in the second. Caleb Ellis had a one-out double, and Ethan Bunce reached on an error that let Ellis come in. Bunce later stole second base, but then Grace sent Preston Hill to courtesy-run for him. The next man struck out, but Reggie Marshall hit a 2-2 pitch into left field and traded places with Bunce.
Seaforth tied the game 2-2 in the fifth, when PJ Lucas hit a two-run homer.
Grace used four pitchers in the game. Luke Garris started the game with two scoreless innings. Jaxon Wade followed, tossing three innings and striking out five while allowing the two runs. Rahming and then Cuddy finished up.
The Crusaders will keep facing Hawks this weekend. Grace hosted the Highland Hawks of Warrenton, Va. on Friday night and will face them again on Saturday at 1 p.m.
Grace 13, Latta 3Latta won the state championship at one level of South Carolina high school baseball last year, but the Vikings were no match for Grace. Roupe and Murchison drove in nine runs between them in a game where Latta jumped ahead 3-0 in the first inning of Wednesday’s game, but then failed to make it to the seventh.
Marshall doubled with one out in the bottom of the sixth to drive in Alex Pena Jimenez and Garris and give the Crusaders a 10-run lead.
Highlights of the game included a two-run homer by Murchison in the second inning, an RBI double by Marshall in that same inning, a two-run single by Roupe in the fourth, a two-run single by Murchison in the fifth, and another two-run single by Roupe later that inning. Roupe ended the game with five RBI and Murchison scored and drove in four.
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