Sumter team members celebrate their 2010 S.C. American Legion State Tournament championship. Everything set up for a storybook ending in the finals of the S.C. American Legion State Tournament at Capital City Stadium Wednesday, July 28, but Cinderella finally fell as Sumter beat Murrells Inlet 4–2.

The Tides from Murrells Inlet Post 178 (17–15) were not even supposed to be in the tournament, much less in the finals. Post 178 surrendered a two– game lead to Florence in the second round of the Lower State playoffs and lost 3–2, but got a second life in the play–in bracket. The Tides were able to escape Goose Creek in ten innings earning a spot in the state tournament only to lose 5–0 to Rock Hill on opening day.

The Tides then dispatched Hilton Head and Gaffney, but on day four the team was rocked by the news of the death of Jason Tomlinson’s mother. Tomlinson not only played but pitched five innings helping the Tides eliminate West Columbia in a tight 6–5 ball game.

After an injury to starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery in the first inning, Tyler Smith entered from centerfield and allowed just two runs, scattered nine hits, and struck out five Murrells Inlet batters. The next day Murrells Inlet blanked Rock Hill to face Legion juggernaut Sumter Post 15 (31–3) in the final.

The P–15s had blitzed through the playoffs sweeping both Summerville and Hartsville to reach the state tournament. They squeaked by Richland Post 6, then beat Gaffney, and won a tough one against West Columbia. Sumter dropped an essentially meaningless game to Rock Hill, as the P–15s had already wrapped up a spot in the final, and entered Wednesday’s contest against Murrells Inlet with their ace, Jordan Montgomery, on the mound. But Montgomery tweaked his knee trying to field a bunt in the first inning from the game’s second batter. He made every effort to stay in the game stretching the knee and tossing a warm–up pitch but sadly shook his head and left the field.

Murrells Inlet catcher Tim Starkey tags out Sumter’s Zachary Sherrill as he tries to steal home. Enter Tyler Smith. Pitching in very early relief, Smith got off to a shaky start. Tomlinson reached on an infield hit to load the bases, but Smith collected a grounder from Robert Troiano, fired it home, and Sumter catcher Michael Blackmon fired it to first for a double play. However, a wild pitch allowed Nick Hotzelt to score from third giving Post 178 a 1-0 lead.

The P–15s bounced back in the bottom half of the second inning when Patrick Gordon reached on a walk, and Zachary Sherrill took first base on a Post 178 error. Jeremy Buckner’s sacrifice bunt moved Gordon and Sherrill up, and Trent Pannell’s RBI single scored Gordon. Sherrill scored when Smith hit the ball about three feet, but catcher Tim Starkey’s throw sailed into right field giving Sumter a 2–1 lead.

Murrells Inlet pitcher Dan Meyer allowed just one earned run in 6–2/3 innings of work against Sumter. Tomlinson tied the game in the top half of the fifth inning when Buckner misjudged Tomlinson’s rope to right field allowing the ball to roll to the fence. Tomlinson took two, and Dalton Novia scored all the way from first base.

Sherrill started the Sumter half of the seventh inning with a two–base drive down the third base line. Another Buckner sacrifice moved him to third. Smith’s bloop to right field scored Sherrill. Smith then stole second base and scored when Blake Graham’s ground ball to the second base side scooted between Kyle Pressley’s legs into centerfield.

Smith allowed just one Post 178 base runner in the eighth and quickly retired two batters in the ninth, but Murrells Inlet, the team that had fought its way into the tournament, then fought its way through the loser’s bracket, and dealt with tragedy along the way, did not go so quietly into the night.

Novia ripped a single into centerfield. Hotzelt followed with a single to left field, and suddenly Tomlinson came to the plate with a chance to give his team the lead with one swing.

But it was not to be.

He grounded out to third base, and Sumter celebrated its fourth state championship in six years and 13th overall—more than any other South Carolina team.