The Hammond Skyhawks, 2013 SCISA 3A Baseball State Champions: #4 Brooks Borders, Sr.; #5 Roo Daniels, Sr.; #11 Donald Fawcett, Jr.; #3 Grant Hensley, Sr.; #16 Harrison Long, Jr.; #17 William Love, Sr.; #12 Jake Nidiffer, Sr.; #24 Jae Roberts, Sr.; #6 Samuel Ulmer, Sr.; #22 Frederick Wadsworth, Jr.; #15 David White, Jr.; #9 Caleb Woody, Jr.; #14 Cantey Heath, So.; Head Coach Ray Derrick; Assistant Coaches Spencer Derrick, Chris Elliott, and Brandon Walsh; Athletic Director Jeff Barnes; and Headmaster Christopher B. Angel.
After losing game one 7-4 to the Wilson Hall Barons of the SCISA 3A baseball championship series, the Hammond Skyhawks found themselves down 11-4 going into the bottom of the sixth inning of game two on May 14. It looked like the Barons would coast to the title.
But the Skyhawks were not done. The Cardiac Kids scraped a couple of runs across in the sixth inning, held Wilson Hall scoreless in the top of the seventh, then completed the miracle comeback with six runs in the bottom of the seventh to force a decisive game three at Carolina Stadium Thursday, May 16.
So what else is new? The Skyhawks played two other decisive game threes against Orangeburg Prep and Laurence Manning just to get to the finals.
The Skyhawks continued to ride the wave of momentum from game two and jumped out to a 4-1 lead on Wilson Hall in the bottom of the fourth, but, in typical Hammond fashion for this incredible run, this final game had to be a nail biter.
The Skyhawks struck first in the bottom of the second inning. With two outs, Sam Ulmer and William Love were hit by pitches from Wilson Hall’s Gordon Owens. Hammond’s starting pitcher, Harrison Long, then helped his own case with a single to left field that scored Ulmer. Grant Hensley followed that with a single to center that scored Love, and Hammond led 2-0.
Hammond’s Sam Ulmer slides safely past Wilson Hall catcher William Kinney.
The Barons got a run back in the top of the third when John Patrick Sears’s sacrifice fly plated William Creech. The damage could have been worse, but Hammond right fielder Jae Roberts threw a rocket home; catcher Roo Daniels made a diving tag to get Andrew Kinney at home.
The Skyhawks got a couple more in the bottom of the fourth when Ulmer led off the inning with a single. A batter later, Long knocked another single to left field moving Ulmer to third. Hensley then laid down a perfect bunt on a squeeze play to score Ulmer. Courtesy runner Caleb Woody then scored when Brooks Borders hit into a fielder’s choice.
Hammond shortstop Brooks Borders leaps high for a throw from home as Wilson Hall’s William Creech slides into second base.
The Barons loaded the bases in the top of the fifth. Creech scored on Kemper Patton’s single, and then Jay Goodson scored on William kinney’s single. Hammond head coach Ray Derrick then pulled Long for Jake Nidiffer. Sears scored on Owens’s sacrifice fly, then Nidiffer was able to strike out Tripp Holstein to end the inning, but the Barons tied the score at 4- 4.
The Skyhawks got runners at the corners in the sixth and looked to regain the lead when Nidiffer drilled a line drive to right field, but he hit it right at Sears to end the inning.
The Barons got two on the seventh, but Borders’s unassisted double play from shortstop ended that threat.
The Barons looked to threaten again in the eighth, but Nidiffer was able to strike out Creech, and then Creech was called for interference when Andrew kinney stole second ending the inning and setting the stage for the drama in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Long started the Hammond’s at bat by being hit by a pitch. Hensley then bunted to move courtesy runner Woody to second base. After Borders worked a 3-1 count, Wilson Hall head coach Dr. Tommy Jones pulled starting pitcher Andrew Kinney in favor of Chase Belk. Belk then walked Borders, and up came Jae Roberts, the future Gamecock, who to this point in the game had grounded out, been hit by a pitch, and struck out twice.
Hammond’s Harrison Long pitches against Wilson Hall.
A ball.
One strike.
Two strikes.
A foul ball.
And then, blam!
Roberts hit a shot that sailed over the left field fence quicker than the Skyhawks could say, “State Championship.”
Roberts was mugged at home plate, and the Skyhawks got their first state title since 1999 with the 7-4 win.
Roberts finished 1-for- 4 with three RBIs and a run scored for Hammond. Hensley was 2-for-2 with two RBIs. Ulmer was 1-for-2 with two runs scored. Long finished 2- for-3 with an RBI, and he pitched 4-1/3 innings allowing eight hits and four runs. He struck out one and walked two. In relief, Nidiffer pitched 3-2/3 innings for the Skyhawks allowing no runs, striking out four, and walking two.
Hammond’ s Jae Roberts bats against Wilson Hall.
Patton went 2-for-4 with an RBI for Wilson Hall. William Kinney finished 2- for-2 with an RBI. Andrew Kinney was 2-for-4 from the plate and pitched 7-1/3 innings allowing four runs and five hits. He struck out six, walked three, and hit five batters.
Hammond head coach Ray Derrick
Hammond’s Roo Daniels runs with Jae Roberts to the plate after Roberts hits the winning home run.
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