Running out of time, options and pitching, the coaches and officials of American Legion League 8 threw in the towel - or, more precisely, drew out of the hat - Saturday night.

When Orangeburg Post 4 erased an early deficit and rolled past Richland Post 6, 11- 5, at Dreher High School field, the teams were left tied with Irmo- Chapin for second place at 10- 8. West Columbia locked up first place early last week.

"I've been involved with Legion ball for about 50 years, and I can not remember a three- way tie," league president Clyde Blackburn said.

Even though the league has four state tournament berths for the first time, it needed to determine the seeding since only the top two teams earned the advantage of opening their respective three- game series at home. The league also was committed to beginning the state playoffs on Monday. As a result, Blackburn met with representatives from all three teams for about 20 minutes after Saturday night's game.

"You'd think it would be easier (with four berths), but it got tougher," Richland coach Ray Derrick said.

None of the three coaches wanted a playoff, which would have required two games played on Sunday - and one team to play twice - to determine the order. Orangeburg and Columbia had already played three- and- a- half games during the week.

"Instead of us beating up on each other and then having no pitching left for the playoffs, this is best for the players and the league," Derrick said. "We need to leave the last week of the season open for just this kind of case, so we don't get backed up. Everyone else in the state was done (by July 4) except for rain- out games. I think you'll probably see some changes along that line (by the league)."

To break the tie, the coaches drew positions out of a hat. Irmo- Chapin drew first and ended up in third place. Orangeburg drew next and pulled fourth place. That left Richland with second place.

Richland would have earned second on the field had it beaten Orangeburg. The Pathfinders took a 4- 0 lead on Kyle George's first- inning grand slam but could do little else with Orangeburg starter Randon Sandifer, who struck out 14 in seven innings. Richland batters struck out 16 times overall.