AC Flora, Chapin get upper hand in SC high school baseball semifinal series
Tyler and Dylan Hernandez have played a lot of baseball growing up together.
But it’s hard to imagine the brothers on the AC Flora baseball team could have drawn up a night like one on Tuesday. Tyler, a senior pitcher, pitched a complete game while younger brother Dylan, the Falcons’ catcher, belted a go-ahead homer as AC Flora defeated Wren, 2-1, in Game 1 of the Class 4A Upper State best-of-three championship series.
Game 2 is Thursday at Wren with Game 3, if necessary, set for AC Flora on Saturday. The Falcons are a win away from playing for their first state championship since 2021 and trying to send out coach Andy Hallett a champion in his final season with the Falcons.
“We pitched to each other. He has caught and I pitched. And he’s pitched and I caught. It is the best feeling in the world.” Dylan said of playing with his brother.
Tyler said he is just trying to enjoy all the games and moments he can with his brother before he heads off to college next year.
With his brother Dylan behind the plate, Tyler turned in second straight strong playoff outing. Tyler tossed six shutout innings last week against Camden and followed it up with his first complete game of the season.
The USC Aiken signee gave up a run in the first inning but settled down after that, allowing just one more hit over the final six innings. He struck out six and walked three.
“Every game we played so far (in the playoffs) has been a blowout so it was great to get a gritty win,” Tyler said. “I have never gone seven innings before. The fact, I could do it this late in the year. My arm felt great. It was amazing.”
With Tyler in control on the mound, Dylan provided the biggest hit of the game when he hit a fastball from Wren starter Austin Vinson over the left-field wall to put the Falcons up 2-1 in the third inning.
“Coach Hallett told me to pick out one pitch to sit on and I drove it,” Dylan said. “It was probably the biggest swing in my career for sure. I am so glad to be here with my team.”
Dylan finished 2-for-3 in the game while Tyler also had a hit.
AC Flora had a few chances to add to the lead, but Vinson was able to work out of the situation.
Wren had a chance in its final at-bat after Cooper Sanders walked to begin the top of the seventh. Tanner Smith’s bunt moved pinch runner Connor Smith over to second.
But Tyler retired the final two batters, the last one coming on second baseman Roper Wentzy’s catch in shallow center field to end it. Wentzy also made a nice play to start a 4-6-3 double play in the third inning.
“It was huge,” Hallet said of winning the opener. “We got to get on the bus and go up there. I have coached for thirty years and I have never been to Wren. … To win at home means no matter what a third game is at home, which is what you hope for if you can’t find a way to pick up a win on the road.”
Chapin 7, West Florence 3
Felix Flecha Ruiz had three hits, including a two-run homer in the first inning, as the Eagles defeated the Knights in the opening game of the Class 5A Division II Lower State championship series.
Game 2 is in Florence on Thursday. Chapin is looking for its first state title appearance since 2018.
The Eagles led 3-2 going into the bottom of the sixth but tacked on four more runs with two outs to go up 7-2. Kaedyn Harris had a two-run single in the sixth inning and Reese Jolley added a two-run double to put the Eagles up 7-2.
Luke Cromer was 1-for-3 with an RBI for Chapin.
Mac Berry allowed one run on one hit while striking out five and walking five to pick up the win.
Hartsville 2, Airport 1
Bryce Segars hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning as the Red Foxes handed the Eagles their first loss of the postseason in Game of the Class 4A Lower State championship series.
Airport will look to stay alive at 7 p.m. on Thursday at home. Game 3, if necessary, would be Saturday in Hartsville.
The loss snapped Airport’s 14-game postseason winning streak dating back to last season.
The Eagles led 1-0 on Isahia Clemons’ groundout in the fifth inning. It stayed that way until the bottom of the sixth as Brandon Anderson led off with a single. With one out, Segars hit the go-ahead homer.
Anderson retired Airport in order to pick up the complete-game victory. Rylan Bullis took the loss for Airport.
James Island 10, River Bluff 4
Defending state champion James Island hit five home runs to defeat River Bluff in Game 1 of the best-of-three Class 5A Division I Lower State championship.
Game 2 is set for 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday at River Bluff. If necessary, Game 3 would be at James Island on Saturday.
Finn Pratt, Brayden Easterling, Ethan Stein, Brady and Connor Dantzler homered for the Trojans. Pratt, Easterling, Brady and Connor Dantzler all had two RBI for JI.
Dawson Beldner picked up the win for the Trojans.
Banks Alexander homered, Leo Zambrano had two hits and an RBI and Walker Godwin also had a hit and RBI for the Gators.
