After losing the first game of the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association 4A baseball state championship series, Metrolina Christian won two games against Wesleyan Christian on Saturday to claim the title.

Case Gibbs started at pitcher in the third game of the series after throwing a complete game two-hitter with five strikeouts in the second game. Gibbs threw 1.1 innings to start the third game, but Bennett Johnson came in relief. Johnson threw 5.2 shutout innings to help clinch the championship.

Metrolina Christian defeated Wesleyan Christian 5-2 in the third game to secure the championship.

At first, it looked like Wesleyan Christian had momentum. In the bottom of the first, Nick Papciak hit a leadoff single, then Sawyer Black followed it up with a home run to right field. That gave the Trojans a 2-0 lead.

That lead held until the top of the fourth inning when a Neil Griffin single scored Alex Lerch to get Metrolina Christian on the board. The scoring didn’t stop there though.

A two RBI triple off the bat of Chase Kiker allowed Griffin and Landon Polk to score, giving the Warriors their first lead of the game at 3-2. Connor Bellew crushed a single the other way to make it 4-2, then Bellew was brought home after a single by Mylo White.

Metrolina Christian led 5-2 after four innings, and that lead held through the rest of the game.

Johnson earned the victory by allowing just one hit in his 5.2 innings. The lefty continued to execute big pitch after big pitch to the tune of eight strikeouts.

Game 2: Metrolina Christian 5, Wesleyan Christian 1

In Game 2, the first game of the day on Saturday, Metrolina Christian leaned on pitcher Case Gibbs who threw a complete game two-hitter with five strikeouts.

Metrolina Christian took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Perry Hargett scored off a Neil Griffin squeeze bunt. Hargett added a second run for the Warriors in the bottom of the third when Will Brooks hit a single to left field.

The Metrolina Christian lead expanded to 4-0 in the bottom of the fifth inning as Brooks scored on an error Griffin scored on a single by Landon Polk.

Wesleyan Christian got on the board in the top of the sixth inning. Sawyer Black got the run thanks to a single from Hudson Lance. But the Warriors got an insurance run in the bottom of the inning when Jacob Seamon scored on an error by the catcher.

Two ground outs and a pop out in the top of the seventh inning ended the game for Wesleyan Christian.

Source: highschoolot.com