Post 1 moves on

MANNING — With pitching stretched thin as it always is in the playoffs, Post 1 coach Derick Urquhart turned to Dale Sylvester to eat up some innings in game four.
Sylvester responded by turning in one of the best pitching performances this season.
Sylvester struck out seven and allowed just one hit in a complete-game performance against Beaufort as Florence defeated the Ospreys 12-2 in seven innings and clinched the series three games to one.
Post 1 (19-8)  awaits the Conway-Orangeburg winner. If Conway wins, Post 1 will host game one Monday at Legion Field at 7 p.m. Post 1 will travel to Orangeburg should the series go the other way.
“We needed Dale to come in and keep us in the game and give us five good innings,” Urquhart said. “He did an outstanding job. One of the best performances I’ve seen all year.”
Sylvester walked three and was actually on the hook for the loss entering the fifth inning. Beaufort scored two runs in the second, one on a Post 1 error.
“They threw one of their top pitchers and he kept us down for the first four innings,” Urquhart said. “We left the bases loaded in the first and second innings and couldn’t push a run across.”
Florence finally broke through in the fifth inning in a big way. Post 1 scored five runs in the fifth, one in the sixth and six more in the seventh to wrap up the game and the series.
“We started seeing the ball better and weren’t chasing pitches and took advantage of the walks,” Urquhart said.
Post 9 starter Chase Goude was roughed up for the second time by Florence. Goude allowed five earned runs, walked eight and hit a batter.
Robert Skinner led Florence, going 3-for-4 with a double and three runs scored. Spencer Jordan was 2-for-4 with a double, and RBI and a run. John Taylor was 1-for-4 with two RBI.
Randolph Brown got the only hit for Beaufort.