Periera back in dugout days after breaking jaw

COLUMBIA - He might not have been in uniform, but Joey Pereira was back where he wanted to be on Thursday.

After being struck in the face by a baseball during Sumter's 2-1, 8-inning win at Florence on Monday to open play in the South Carolina American Legion baseball state tournament, the P-15's infielder had been stuck in a Florence hospital room until early Thursday afternoon.

Usually a release after a hospital stay would mean heading home for more rest. For Pereira, the best medicine was traveling to Columbia with his parents to join his teammates in the dugout as they fought to stay alive for a berth in the upcoming Southeast Regional.

"There was no doubt (where I was going to be)," Pereira said of his post-release trip to Spirit Communications Park. "That was already planned out. I was coming here regardless. It meant a lot. It meant a lot to come out and watch them play."

Pereira's arrival before the P-15's resumption of play from Wednesday's suspended game with Chapin/Newberry was a surprise to all except Sumter head coach Curtis Johnson.

"Curtis knew I was coming the whole day," Pereira said. "He called me earlier, and he just wanted to let me surprise the team, I guess give them some energy or whatever. It worked. We won one game today and we're playing tomorrow, so we're still alive. He was just glad I was out here with them, and they all were (glad to see me)."

The P-15's lost the suspended game to Chapin 4-1 before rallying to to again beat Florence, this time by a 4-2 score to secure a spot in the championship round against Chapin and earn a berth in the Southeast Region Tournament.

"I think it's good," Johnson said of the lift that Pereira's return to the dugout gave the P-15's roster. "They love him, we love him and he's an important part of this team, whether he can play or not. I'm so proud of him for gutting through it. He's in a lot of pain today, so him coming to the game and just sitting there is a big deal and I'm proud of him."

The state baseball committee thought a lot of Pereira's devotion to his team as well. Following Friday's 4-2 loss to C/N in the championship game, Pereira received the tournament's Sportsmanship Award.

Pereira said his jaw, which was broken in two spots, will be held together by two titanium plates and an assortment of rubber bands and metal for at least the next few weeks.

"I got the sign for the bunt and just squared around and the pitcher did what he was supposed to do, throw at your hands, and my face was there," Pereira said of the fateful pitch that took him out. "It hit me, and when it did hit me, I blacked out. Then I got up and when I went to feel my jaw, I could pretty much tell right away that it was broken."

Adding insult to injury, the home plate umpire ruled that Pereira was not hit by the pitch, but that the ball hit his bat and then came back and hit him in the face, meaning that not only was Pereira out of the game and headed to the hospital shortly after, but teammate Andrew Twitty would be called upon to finish Pereira's at-bat.

"The ball did not come close to the bat," Pereira stated emphatically. "It didn't touch the bat. It got me right on the face. But the umpire saw what he saw and we can't go back and change it."

Though Pereira was not there as his teammates prepared to play Chapin on Wednesday, he supported them by listening to the radio broadcast of Wednesday's game.

"I listened to the whole thing, until it got (suspended)," Pereira said. "It sucks (not being at the game) but there's nothing I can do, nothing they can do. They know that. They've just got to go out and keep playing. It went fine today. We got us a win (against Florence) and we've just got to keep playing."

Pereira has been a mainstay in the Sumter lineup, playing both second base and third base, depending on who was pitching. And he was always hitting somewhere in the middle of the order.

"He would play second and third for us some, so we had to figure out what we were going to do in his absence," Johnson said. "Joey's a great player for us and a great teammate, and it's always hard to try to find somebody to fill the void for a guy that gets hurt. We were so happy that he was in the dugout tonight, it actually felt right with him in the dugout."

Sumter needed two wins over C-N on Friday to clinch the state title, but both teams will go to the regional since Georgia will not send a representative. The decision was made to have the South Carolina runner-up fill the Georgia spot since the Palmetto State has the most programs among the states in the Southeast Region.

"It's great for our program, it's great for our community," Johnson said. "We're proud of our guys and proud of what they do, what they've done, what they've bought into and what they've believed in. Playing for the P-15's is an important deal and we want to make sure they cherish the importance of that."

Pereira is definitely one who cherishes wearing a P-15's uniform and vows to stand with his teammates even if he does not make it back on the field.

"It sucks, it sucks not being on the field but still, watching them play (is good)," Pereira said. "I'm just glad they get to go and do it again tomorrow and get to do it again in a few more weeks. Hopefully I'll be there playing (at the regional) but if not I'll get to watch them. This is just a special group. I love the guys, I really do."