Pinewood’s baseball team advanced to the SCISA state semifinals with a two-game sweep of the Wilson Hall Barons.
Friday the Panthers traveled to Sumter and returned home with an 11-6 win to open the series.
The Panthers opened the scoring in the top of the second after Trevor Reeves singled and was driven in by a two-run shot by Alex Doucet.
The Barons answered in their half of the inning, getting three runs off starter Laquan Gilliard.
Pinewood jumped back in front in the top of third, getting three runs.
A two-out walk to Austin Heflin started the Panther rally.
Heflin stole second and moved to third on a passed ball. He was driven in by a single from Gilliard.
Taylor Wall then plated Gilliard with a two-run homer to center to put the Panthers up 5-3.
The Barons got a three-run homer in the bottom of the third to jump back in front 6-5.
The Panthers responded in the top of the sixth.
Kennan Keller singled to lead off the inning and then Reeves ended the night for the Baron’s starter, Tyler Broome, with a two-run shot to left. The Panthers picked up four more runs in the top of the seventh when Keller ripped a bases-clearing double.
Heflin picked up the win for the Panthers.
Saturday saw the Barons at Pinewood and they moved out to a 3-0 lead before the Panthers rallied in the bottom of the fifth.
Jarius Schumann started the Panthers’ rally with a single. Heflin followed with another single and Gilliard reached first on an infield squibber.
Wall then ripped a single to left, scoring Schumann and Heflin.
The Panthers tied the game when a grounder by Keller went through the legs of the second baseman.
The Panthers won the game with a run in the sixth.
Schumann again led off with single.
Heflin dropped a perfect bunt for another single that moved Schumann to second.
Gilliard then ripped a rope over the second baseman’s head to plate Schumann with the decisive run.
Heflin again pitched solid in relief to pick up his second win of the series.