File Photo West Columbia's Cody Bessinger hit a two- out, two- run walk- off home run to advance Post 79 to the championship tournament in Spartanburg this week. It's little wonder West Columbia Post 79 players believe they can win the American Legion state tournament title this week in Spartanburg.

In addition to its regular- season success, the first two playoff rounds sent Post 79's confidence soaring. The team rallied from a 2- 0 series deficit against Lancaster in the first round and completed a three- game sweep of Inman in dramatic fashion in the second round.

"The team is feeling great right now," third baseman Cody Bessinger said. "Our pitching is going to be fresh (for the tournament). We don't have any doubt we're going to win."

Bessinger's two- out, two- run homer to left- center completed the 7- 5 victory in the finale against Inman, drawing praise from West Columbia coach Legree Oswald and a postgame ice shower from teammates.

"He's the best third baseman we've had here in a long time," Oswald said.

Bessinger was hardly the only key figure in the series- ending victory.

Corey Holmes tied the score at 5 in the bottom of the ninth with a two- out, three- run home run on reliever David Gentry's second pitch.

"I was sitting on a curve ball, and he hung it about belt high," said Holmes, who also homered in the series clinching victo- ry against Lancaster.

Holmes' homer mattered only because pinch- hitter Stuart Pound fought off several pitches after falling behind in the count to lead off the ninth. He then beat out an infield bouncer. An errant pickoff sent Pound to third. From there he scored Post 79's second run on Luke Beasley's sacrifice fly.

"Our biggest play was pinch- hitting for (reliever Ken) Smoak with Pound," Oswald said. "It was only a little bouncer, but it got him to first, and that started everything."

Even the weather cooperated. Inman ace - and USC commitment - Jim Revan tossed six scoreless innings of three- hit ball on Wednesday, but lightning forced suspended play for the night in the seventh.

"We were praying for the weather to move in," Oswald said. "(Revan) was pretty good; he'll do well at USC. Our guys felt that if we could get another day, things would be different."

They were right. With Revan out of the picture, West Columbia's offense responded with six hits, five hit batsmen, and a walk in the final five innings.

West Columbia reliever Matt Boulware earned the victory with two innings of work. He and Smoak held Inman to one run on four hits and a pair of walks over the final five innings.