Hartsville versus Hartsville
The district champion Hartsville National All Stars are: front row, from left, Camron Funderburk, Cody Kelley, Cody Payne, Casey Kelley, Drake Cassidy and Alex Horton. Second row, left to right, Russell Watkins, Rayshawn Coe III, Jaylon Johnson, Tanner Stanley, Dillon Tiller and Darrell Pendergrass. Coaches, from left to right, Wayne Tiller, Rick Funderburk and head coach Kurt Griggs.
DARLINGTON – The Hartsville National Major League All Stars have won the district playoffs and will be traveling to Clemson this weekend for the state tournament.
The district playoffs, however, ended with some fireworks and pitted the Hartsville National team against the rival Hartsville Northern team in the district finals.
The Nationals were undefeated in the double-elimination tournament going into the district championship; therefore, the Northern League team had to manage back-to-back victories to take the title.
The National League team began the district playoffs with an 8-0 victory over Darlington and followed that with an 11-1 victory over Hartsville Northern that set up the championship rematch.
Game one of the district championship was a classic that began on Tuesday and finished on Friday.
Hartsville National took a 4-1 early in the game, but a rain delay postponed the game in the fourth inning, Hartsville National head coach Kurt Griggs said.
When played restarted on Wednesday, the teams battled it out into the ninth inning, and the game was postponed again in the ninth inning tied 5-5, Griggs said.
On Friday, the teams managed to finish the game as the Northern League won it in the 11th inning 6-5 on a walk-off home run, according to Griggs.
“Chase Love pitched for the Northern League,” Griggs said. “They brought him in during the fifth inning, and he pitched seven innings and only gave up one walk. He really pitched a good game.”
Game two, however, did not take quite as long. Hartsville National won 16-6 in four innings due to the 10-run rule, Griggs said.
In that game, Casey Kelley led the National League at the plate going 3 for 4 with a homerun. Cody Kelley, Darrell Pendergrass and Dillon Tiller also had homeruns, and Pendergrass and Tiller both went 2 for 3. Tanner Stanley was the winning pitcher.
“We really hit the ball good,” Griggs said.
The district championship will send the National League to Clemson for the state tournament. Play will begin on Saturday at a new complex near Clemson University, Griggs said.
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