Corey Holmes dr ills a two- out, two- run homer in the first inning against Lancaster. The goals are high for West Columbia Post 79 this month.

"Anything short of the state finals will be (a disappointment)," pitcher Alex Nettles said. "Lots of people say this is the best team West Columbia has had in a long time."

West Columbia kept those expectations alive last week. After spotting Lancaster Post 31 a 2- 0 lead in the best- of- five series, West Columbia advanced to the second round with a 5- 0 victory Friday night at Airport High School.

Corey Holmes hit a two- out, two- run homer to start a four- run first, and Nettles scattered three hits across six shutout innings to earn the victory, which required West Columbia to wait out a 55- minute lightning and rain delay.

"We knew coming in that we needed to get up on them early because they had been doing it to us (earlier in the series)," Holmes said. "We got down in the series early, but we had our confidence come back. Now, we go into the next series on a high.

Photos by Mike Maddock Alex Nettles pitches against Lancaster. West Columbia drew Inman in the second round. The winner of this week's series advances to the state tournament. Inman beat Easley, 3- 1, in its first- round series.

"We're as good as anyone in the Upper State (bracket)," West Columbia coach Legree Oswald said. "Now, we just need some baseball luck."

To put away Lancaster, West Columbia didn't need luck; it simply needed the same recipe that has produced a 16- 7 record entering the Inman series: good pitching, defense, and hitting. Nettles and Todd Joyner combined on a five- hitter. West Columbia committed one error, but turned a double play and threw out a runner at the plate. All but two batters in the lineup reached base at least twice.

"This team is young, but we have a lot of talent," Holmes said. "We want to use that talent and success to bring in even more prospects and continue to build something, so that we can be really strong not just this year but in the years to come."