1 week Ago
Summerville won its first baseball series of the season against a cross-town rival, besting Ashley Ridge in two out of three games. The home team was triumphant in all three games. The Green Wave claimed a 2-1 win at Green Wave Park April 8 and a 2-0 home victory April 11.
Ashley Ridge claimed a 4-3 win April 9 in The Swamp. “We all knew going in this was an important series for both teams,” said Summerville coach Thane Maness. “It’s a cross-town rival so it’s big for that reason but also it’s huge for region standings and playoff seeding.
In order to win the series we had to play well at home so credit to our guys for doing that.” Game 1 was a playoff-caliber pitchers’ duel. Summerville’s Jayce Stone and Aiden Vorlick combined for a two hitter.
Stone threw five-plus innings, striking out eight batters and allowing only two hits, both doubles. Vorlick closed the game out and fanned one batter while allowing only one base runner, which he hit with a pitch. Ashley Ridge senior Noah Seguer went the distance on the hill and struck out six batters.
The Swamp Foxes only allowed five base runners. Seguer surrendered a pair of doubles and a pair of singles and another batter reached base on an error. “Noah Seguer threw a great game for them and they played great defense behind him but our team can find different ways to beat you,” Maness said.
“We had some big bunts and those two big doubles. They only scored in one inning and we only scored in one inning.” Catcher Shep Cadwell opened the bottom half of the second inning with a double.
First baseman Chase Lewis then moved courtesy runner Cooper Hughie over with a sacrifice bunt. Vorlick, in the designated hitter slot, then doubled to plate Hughie. Vorlick went on to score the second run on a sacrifice bunt by outfielder Carter Gullotti.
Infielders Parker Holladay and Jaxson Johnson had the other Summerville hits. Ashley Ridge’s Brodie Tuthill had a double in the top of the third and Jack Healing hit a sky-high ball into the outfield that got lost in the lights and dropped for the Swamp Foxes’ other double. “Both teams definitely wanted Game 1,” said Ashley Ridge coach BJ Bellush.
“We threw our guy and they used a combination of two of their guys. It was a really good game but we just couldn’t get any key hits. For us to bounce back in Game 2 was big.
We are starting to put it together a little bit. We are a really young group and Summerville has a good team.” The Swamp Foxes also had strong pitching during their game at home.
Senior Cohen Parker and Tuthill combined to throw a three-hitter while the Swamp Foxes tallied eight hits. “Credit to our guys,” Bellush said. “Cohen pitched good and then Brodie came in and handled a little adversity well in the last inning to get us out of a jam.
We feel good about that win. We got timely hits that we didn’t the first night. Our defense also did a good job getting us out of some jams.
” Both teams only managed three hits during the series finale. Vorlick went the distance on the mound, striking out four batters and only allowing five base runners. Senior Ethan Lopez had the start on the hill for the Swamp Foxes and was relieved by sophomore Braxton Sherrouse after the first batter in the bottom of the fifth.
They both struck out one and combined only allowed eight base runners. In the bottom of the first, Banks Knight walked for the Green Wave. He stole second and moved to third when the throw to second sailed into the outfield.
Senior Drew Hayes laid down a sacrifice bunt to push him home for the game-winning run. Cody Landis is making key contributions for Summerville at the plate and as a shortstop. Cody Landis got things going for the Green Wave in the bottom of the third with a walk.
He moved over on a sacrifice bunt by Knight and scored off a single by Hayes for the 2-0 lead. Chase Lewis and Cooper Hughie also had a single for Summerville. Parker had a double for Ashley Ridge.
The other hits for the Swamp Foxes were singles by Jeremiah Alford and Easton Thorpe. “This series against Ashley Ridge started the second half of the season so hopefully we can carry this momentum into the second half,” Maness said. “Catchers Cooper Gaskins and Shep Cadwell are swinging the bat really well right now so hopefully they can stay hot.
Chase Lewis has swung the bat well and Cody Landis has been very good at shortstop and in the two hole.” Summerville and Ashley Ridge ended the week with a 5-4 record in the region and tied for second place. James Island (9-0) is in first place and Fort Dorchester and West Ashley are both 4-5 in the region and tied for fourth place.
All of those teams will participate in the annual Hanahan Invitational Tournament this week. Check the Hanahan Athletics website for times and location. After the tournament, the Green Wave, Swamp Foxes and Patriots will return to region action.
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