Regional Championship

...And then there were two!
Host Shelby Post 82 and Sumter Post 15 are squaring off here very shortly for the American Legion Southeast Regional Tournament championship. We have a packed house at Keeter Stadium and Veterans Field with even the grassy banks above the dugouts packed with fans.

Here are the starting lineups:
For Shelby (36-14) which will be the visiting team: Seth Canipe (CF), Brett Wease (SS), Kyle Kendrick (C), Adam McFarland (3B), Julian Ridings (DH), James Gold (1B), Eric Shuford (RF), Corey Cline (2B), Jordan Robinson (LF). Righthander Adam Izokovic is starting on the mound.
For Sumter (32-3), the home team on the scoreboard: Quentrell Nelson (RF), Bruce Caldwell (SS), Travis Witherspoon (CF), Matthew Price (3B), Michael Blackmon (DH), Tony Micklon (C), Matthew Talley (1B), Cam Martin (LF), Robert Benenhaley (2B). The pitcher is righthander Tyler Smith.

First pitch at 7:30 p.m.
Seth Canipe lines the third pitch of the game into left-center field for a double for Shelby. Brett Wease then sacrifices to put Canipe at third.
After Kendrick fans for the second out, McFarland grounds out to the second baseman to retire the side. No score, Sumter coming to bat.

Izokovic retires Sumter 1-2-3 in the bottom of the first. Still no score.

Shelby threatens in the second with two outs as Eric Shuford is hit by a pitch, then Sumter starter Tyler Smith walks Jordan Robinson to load the bases. On a 3-2 count, Canipe lines another double into the left-center field gap to score all three runners for a 3-0 lead. Sumter Coach Wallie Jones decides to make a pitching change, bringing in lefthander Matthew Talley.
Talley fans Wease to retire the side. Shelby in front, 3-0.

Sumter third baseman Matthew Price leads off the bottom of the second with a solo home run, the fourth of the tournament for the University of South Carolina signee.
Izokovic pitches around two infield errors to keep the score at 3-1, in Shelby's favor, after two complete innings.

Shelby goes quietly in the top of the third, score stays 3-1.
In the bottom of the inning, Izokovic retires Sumter 1-2-3.

Shelby gets leadoff runner aboard in top of fourth but can't move him. Score remains 3-1.
Sumter gets a leadoff walk in the bottom of the inning and moves him to third, but he's stranded as Robinson gathers in a fly ball for the third out. The score after four: Shelby Post 82 3, Sumter 1.

Tension seems to be mounting as the game seems to be settling into a pitcher's duel. Kyle Kendrick doubles in the top of the fifth for Post 82 and moves to third with two outs. Julian Ridings hits a high hopper to the right side that Sumter first baseman Samuel Key dives and comes up with. From the ground, he fires to pitcher Talley covering the bag, barely nipping Julian Ridings for the third out. Score still: Shelby 3, Sumter 1.

With two outs in the bottom of the fifth, Sumter Post 15 strikes quickly. Quentrell Nelson is hit by a pitch, then Bruce Caldwell hits a line drive home run to right center field to tie the contest. After 5 complete: score is deadlocked at 3-3.

Talley mows down Shelby 1-2-3 in the top of the sixth leaving the score tied at 3-3.
After the Sumter leadoff batter gets aboard in the bottom of the inning and is bunted to second, Shelby makes a pitching change. Eric Shuford comes to the hill to replace Izokovic, who gave up only three hits but two were home runs. Shuford retires two straight to leave the runner stranded at second. Score remains: Shelby 3, Sumter 3.

Jordan Robinson leads off for Shelby and hits a deep liner to center that Sumter's Travis Witherspoon hauls in on the run at the wall. The next two batters go quietly, leaving the score tied 3-3 in the middle of the seventh.

In the bottom of the seventh, a bunt single, walk and error load the bases with two outs as Sumter cleanup hitter Matthew Price comes to the plate. Price is 10-for-23 with 4 HR and 10 RBI in the tournament. Price hits a hard liner that Jordan Robinson runs down in front of the fence for the third out. End of seven: score still tied 3-3.

Talley continues to roll along for Sumter. He retires Shelby 1-2-3 in the eighth and has now mowed down 11 in a row. The score is still 3-3.

Shuford responds by getting Sumter three straight. We go to the ninth inning all tied up at 3-3. Not too many of the 5,000-plus fans on hand are leaving this one early.

The tall Sumter lefthander continues to shut down the Shelby offense. Talley strikes out the side in the top of the ninth. Score remains 3-3.

Two errors allow Sumter to score the winning run in the bottom of the ninth. With one out and runner Samuel Key on second, Quentrell Nelson bunts down the third baseline. Shelby's Adam McFarland scoops and throws to first but the ball and the runner arrive at the base and the same time and the ball goes off first baseman James Gold's glove, allowing Key to keep motoring across the plate with the game winner.

Sumter (33-3) earns the right to come back to Shelby for the World Series starting Friday.