Baseball: Gators Storm Back to Even Series 1-1 with Gritty 11-10 Win Over James Island

Heading into the bottom half of the third inning of Wednesday night's game against James Island, River Bluff was down 9-0 and staring postseason elimination square in the face. Already down 1-0 in the best-of-three series to crown the SCHSL AAAAA-Division I Lower State champion, the Gators were on the brink of seeing their season come to a halt at home against the top-ranked James Island Trojans.

In Rocky-fashion, however, River Bluff got back up off the mat and staged a hard-nosed, epic comeback to force a deciding game three on Saturday.

Much like game one, which James Island won 10-4, the Trojans landed crippling blows early Wednesday evening, putting four runs on the board to start the game and then adding two more in the second and three more in the fourth, all while holding the River Bluff bats silent...until the bottom of the third inning.

Ab Wilkerson broke the silence with a lead-off single to start the Gators' turn at bat in the third. Andrew Rye followed that up with a hard ground ball single, advancing Wilkerson to second. Then, Banks Alexander hit his second homerun of the series, delivering a shot over the left field fence scoring three runs. Dominick Norton got to first when he was hit by a pitch, but was thrown out on a fielder's choice during Walker Godwin's next at-bat. Sam Turner then singled to move Godwin to second. Mason Iser drew a walk next to load the bases. Ashley Powell proceeded to bring in Godwin on a ground ball single to short. The Gators proved the fight was not over, cutting the lead to 9-4.

The comeback seemed to be on.

James Island would have their first scoreless inning in the fourth. The Gators picked up from where they left off.

Andrew Rye and Banks Alexander reached base to start the inning. Dominick Norton then drove in Rye. Godwin then drove in Alexander. Then Turner drew a walk. Suddenly, the Gators, who were down nine, and who seemed to be down for the count, were just down three with no outs and the bases loaded. The comeback was indeed on.

A wild pitch brought in pinch runner Carson Lloyd from third. Iser drew another walk to reload the bases. Powell singled in Godwin. With one out, Wilkerson grounded out but brought Turner across the plate. After the third out of the inning, the score was tied 9-9 and the packed house of Gator faithful were on their feet with a renewed sense of hope.

The Trojans responded with a run in the top of the fifth to retake the lead 10-9.

Then, in the bottom half of the fifth Godwin came to the plate with one out and Norton on first and delivered a go-ahead two-run homer to left field. For the first time in the series, River Bluff had the lead. Given James Island's propensity to pound away at the plate, though, the 11-10 Gator advantage was tenuous at best.

Dalton Corley, who came on in relief in the third inning pitched solidly, sitting down the Trojan side 1-2-3 in the sixth. Even though the Gators were unable to produce any runs during their at-bat, they were just three outs away from living to fight another day, which meant James Island had another turn at the plate - disconcerting for Gator fans for sure.

Corley struck out the first Trojan batter and then forced a flyout to deep center. After an intentional walk of Trojan standout Taj Marchand, who had gone four-for-four with two runs and four RBI to that point, the next James Island batter, Connor Dantzler crushed a double off of the left field wall, just inches away from a homerun. Rye fielded the ball and flung it to Wilkerson as Marchand rounded third for home. Wilkerson rifled the ball in to Gator catcher Alexander who tagged out a a barreling Marchand as he slid towards the plate for the third out.

The comeback was complete and a jubilant River Bluff squad and its fans celebrated an amazing, and at one point unlikely, 11-10 victory over the visiting Trojans of James Island, extending their season at least one more game.

Now, with the series all knotted up at one game apiece, the Lower State crown will go to the team that emerges for Saturday's game with a win. James Island, the higher seed, will host the final matchup. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.

(Photo by Jay Overbay)