By CINDY CROSBY
Cindyc4@yahoo.com
The Colleton Prep varsity baseball team earned a berth in the 2021 SCISA State AA Baseball Play-offs following a 2-1 win over John Paul II on Senior Night for the War Hawks. The play-offs are set to begin with a field of eight April 26-29 in a best of three series. The War Hawks are 10-7 overall and 8-2 in Region IV-AA with two regular season games remaining.
The War Hawks fell to Hilton Head Prep 17-7 Monday April 12. Cole Gulotti earned the start, allowing four earned runs on seven hits, striking out two and issuing eight walks. Wyland Sheffield and Huiet Rowe entered in relief and combined to allow 10 earned runs on eight hits. Kyle Hooker led at the plate, going 3-3 with 3-RBI’s and scoring twice, including a homerun in the first inning. Rowe was 3-3 with an RBI and Colton Daniels was 1-3.
“Tough one tonight,” said Coach Collin Miller. “We came in swinging it well and just had one bad inning.”
On Senior Night against John Paul II, CPA’s pitching staff allowed just four hits in the game and combined to strike out 15. Carter Smoak started and allowed one earned run on three hits, striking out nine and issuing one walk across five innings. Kyle Hooker closed, allowing one hit, and striking out six. Hooker was 1-1 on the night with 2-RBIs including a triple in the first inning. Peter Peters, Hayden Williams, and Rowe each recorded a hit.
“Outstanding job by Carter and Kyle tonight, can’t ask for anything more,” said Coach Miller. “For those two guys to combine for one walk and 15 strikeouts is outstanding. With the win, it does put us into playoffs, which was the team goal at the beginning of the season. I told the guys after the game that we accomplished our first goal, now it is onto the first round of states.”
The War Hawks will play their final regular season games this week when they travel to Orangeburg Prep Wednesday April 21 and host Branchville High School Thursday April 22.
The JV team defeated John Paul II 2-1 Tuesday, April 13. Will Cain earned the win, throwing four and two-thirds innings. Eli Rowe reached base three times in the game.
Against Pinewood Prep the following evening, the JV team lost 7-2 after last scores. Cole Davis led the way offensively for the junior varsity with two hits. Wylan Sheffield and Will Brady scored for the War Hawks.
In a rematch Saturday, April 17, Colleton Prep lost 12-2 to Pinewood. Braeden Hiers had 2-RBI’s on the day, with a single in the first and a sacrifice fly in the third. Davis scored two runs for CPA. Wylan Sheffield, Owen Harrelson, and Braeden Hiers all saw time on the mound.
The JV team is 8-2 on the season with two games remaining.
