Two years ago, South Central knocked on the door of an eastern regional championship.

This year, they kicked the door down with authority.

After a historic 17-1 victory in Fayetteville on Tuesday night, the Falcons returned home and completed a sweep of Terry Sanford with a 6-2 victory.

Next weekend, the program will be playing for its first 3A baseball state championship.

Four batters into the game, Terry Sanford had a 1-0 lead.

Ryan Seagroves, Brent Smith, and Mason Walker greeted South Central starter Carter Hale with three consecutive singles in the top of the first. Walker’s was a line drive to center to score Seagroves from second.

Minus the 1-0 deficit, South Central’s start to the bottom of the first seemed to be a carbon copy of game one. The top of the Falcon order loaded the bases for Christian Chance. There was not a fourth grand slam, but instead a bases loaded walk to even the score.

Tyce Thompson took a one-out free pass to push the lead to 2-1, and Marcus Byrd pulled a single into left to drive home Joshua Britt. Isaiah James put a bow on the five-run first with a single to center to score two.

Terry Sanford chipped its deficit to 5-2 on a second inning sacrifice fly.

That score held until Rahkeem Williams drew the team’s seventh walk of the game with one down in the bottom of the fifth.

In relief of Josh Hart, Terry Sanford’s Ethan Nobles turned in two scoreless innings with a pair of strikeouts.

Brandon Worsley nailed down the win with three perfect innings out of the bullpen for South Central. Hale allowed his two runs on five hits and two walks.

The Falcons’ opponent is to be decided after East Rowan bounced back with a big win at Tuscola to keep its season alive. A decisive third game in the series will be played on Friday night in Granite Quarry.

Source: highschoolot.com