Flora doesn’t flinch: Falcons run-rule James Island in Class 4A series opener
A.C. Flora has been dominant in running through the Class 4A district playoffs and the upper state championship series. The Falcons are unbeaten in five games, outscoring the opposition 55-8.
It was more of the same Tuesday night in the best-of-three championship series opener against James Island.
Phillips Daniels delivered the key blow and eight of the nine starters scored or had a hit as A.C. Flora defeated James Island 10-0 in five innings to take a 1-0 lead in the series.
Game two is Thursday night at James Island. A.C. Flora will be looking for its seventh state title since 2001 and fifth since 2012.
Coach Andy Hallett said the approach is the same now as it was when the season began.
“We have a really good approach at the plate. Our guys bought in early in the season. We stick to our plan and we play really hard,” Hallett said. “Even when we don’t score runs, we run pitch counts. That is one of the things we talked about as an offensive team is get to the bullpen. The best way to get to the bullpen in today’s high school baseball world is to run pitch counts.”
The Falcons were able to do that and more against the Trojans (20-11-1). It was a pitcher’s duel between the Falcons’ sophomore ace Grant Loggins, a USC commitment, and James Island’s Stephen West, a Western Carolina commit, through three innings.
A.C. Flora (28-4) had a 1-0 lead thanks to Max Childress. He doubled with one out, stole third and scored when the throw from the catcher bounded into left field.
But the patient approach at the plate finally paid off in the fourth inning and got the Falcons into the Trojans bullpen.
Two walks and a single loaded the bases. Jack Reynolds, another USC commit, singled home a run to get things started. Phillips Daniels then delivered a two-out, 3-run triple. Courtesy runner Manning Barwick scored on a wild pitch and a close game suddenly was 6-0 after four innings.
“We end up getting a couple of more knocks then, we get the huge one from (Daniels) with two outs that sent everybody home,” Hallett said. “Any time you go crooked (number), it gives you an opportunity to have a zero somewhere on that board.”
Daniels was just looking to make contact and put pressure on the defense.
“I was just looking for anything in the strike zone and he threw me a curveball that was middle up and fortunately I got the barrel to it,” he said.
That allowed Hallett to get Loggins out after 72 pitches. He allowed two hits with three strikeouts and two walks in 4 2/3 innings. If it were to go to a game three in the series on Saturday, Loggins would be eligible to pitch again.
“If we were up 1-0, I probably wouldn’t have gone out to the mound,” Hallett said.
The Falcons ended it with RBI hits from Jake Sears, Tillman Geddings, Blakely Bates and Carew Bates. Carew Bates drove in the final run with a safety squeeze to enforce the 10-run mercy rule.
WP: Jake Loggins LP: Stephen West. Hitters: JI: Keillor Osbon 2-2. ACF: Jack Reynolds 2-3 RBI; Carew Bates 1-4 RBI; Phillips Daniels 1-2 3 RBI; Jake Sears 1-2 RBI; Tillmon Geddings 1-2 RBI; Blakely Bates 2-3 RBI.
This story was originally published June 1, 2021 at 10:25 PM.