Briar Woods had to rally from a 7th inning deficit and it took 14 innings before winning the 5A State Championship with a 5-4 win over Halifax County.
Sean Clark delivered the game winning hit driving in the winning run with a walk off single in the bottom of the 14th inning. Clark hit a ground single past the second base bag and Jake Rayfield barely beat the throw at home on a close play at the plate.
Halifax County was only two outs away from winning the title in the 7th inning until Falcons junior Brandon Hamm hit a line drive single to left that started a rally. Ryan Jaekle was hit by a pitch and Ty Germanowski walked to load the bases. A single by Jake Kleifges tied the score at four and sent the game into extra innings.
Briar Woods took a 2-0 lead after a single by Wake Forest commit Michael Ludowig and a throwing error by the left fielder allowed two runs to score.
The Comets scored all their runs in the 4th inning. Clay Lloyd double in the 1st run and a popup to center field by Drew Harlow was dropped scoring another run which tied the game. The next batter, Josh Barker, single to score two more runs to give Halifax County a 4-2 lead.
Jaekle threw four shutout innings to earn the win. Ludowig struckout nine batters in seven relief innings after relieving Clark.
Alex Lowery took the loss after Carlton Redd and Harlow each went five innings for Halifax County.
Sean Clark delivered the game winning hit driving in the winning run with a walk off single in the bottom of the 14th inning. Clark hit a ground single past the second base bag and Jake Rayfield barely beat the throw at home on a close play at the plate.
Halifax County was only two outs away from winning the title in the 7th inning until Falcons junior Brandon Hamm hit a line drive single to left that started a rally. Ryan Jaekle was hit by a pitch and Ty Germanowski walked to load the bases. A single by Jake Kleifges tied the score at four and sent the game into extra innings.
Briar Woods took a 2-0 lead after a single by Wake Forest commit Michael Ludowig and a throwing error by the left fielder allowed two runs to score.
The Comets scored all their runs in the 4th inning. Clay Lloyd double in the 1st run and a popup to center field by Drew Harlow was dropped scoring another run which tied the game. The next batter, Josh Barker, single to score two more runs to give Halifax County a 4-2 lead.
Jaekle threw four shutout innings to earn the win. Ludowig struckout nine batters in seven relief innings after relieving Clark.
Alex Lowery took the loss after Carlton Redd and Harlow each went five innings for Halifax County.
