Blythewood baseball rallies for SC Diamond Invitational championship
After letting a lead slip away, the Blythewood baseball team responded and captured another SC Diamond Invitational championship.
The Bengals scored twice in the bottom of the sixth inning to defeat Dorman, 4-2, on Saturday at Lexington High School. The tournament is usually held at Blythewood but was moved to Lexington and Brookland-Cayce because of Richland 2 COVID-19 protocols.
It is Blythewood’s fourth SCDI title with others coming in 2013, 2014 and 2018.
“It is all about getting better everyday and improving,” Blythewood coach Banks Faulkner said. “I wasn’t happy after yesterday’s game and we talked a lot about playing to our standard. … We came out today really engaged and ready to go.”
The Bengals led 2-0 going into the top of the sixth before what Faulkner called one of the dumbest decisions in his coaching career by pitching to Dorman’s TJ White with a runner on in the sixth.
White, an Indiana commit who struck out his two previous at-bats, drilled a pitch over the right-center field fence to tie it at 2-2. It was White’s sixth homer of the year and third in last two days.
“He did what a great player does and made us pay,” Faulkner said.
Blythewood answered back by scoring two runs on a passed ball and wild pitch to win the game.
Zac Cowan picked up the win in relief of Jacob Hardy, who allowed just two hits in 4 ⅓ innings. Caleb McCants also had an RBI single for the Bengals.
Radford signee Ty Dooley was named Tournament MVP and the Bengals’ Justin Flemming was all-tournament.
SCDI Championship: Blythewood 4, Dorman 2
WP: Zac Cowan LP: Adams Faucett Hitters: D: TJ White 1-3 HR, 2 RBI. B: Caleb McCants 1-1 RBI.
Brookland-Cayce 4, Westwood 3
WP: Tanner Staton LP: Colby Linn Hitters: Tanner Staton 2-3; Brycen Johnson 1-1 RBI. W: John Janco 2-3
