P-15's gear up for series with Lexington after sweeping Jets

After sweeping the Dalzell-Shaw Jets in the first round of the South Carolina American League senior state playoffs, the Sumter P-15's will jump right into the best-of-3 second-round series.

Sumter, which is 14-5 on the season, will play host to Lexington Post 7 at 7 p.m. today at Riley Park in the first game of the series that will determine which of the two teams reaches the 4-team state tournament at Segra Park in Columbia Aug. 14-16.

The second game won't be played until Monday as Lexington has field issues over the weekend. It will be played at Roscoe Frye Field beginning at 7 p.m.

If a third game is needed, it is scheduled for Tuesday at Riley at 7 p.m.

The P-15's wrapped up its series with Dalzell with a 16-1, 5-inning win on Wednesday at Thomas Sumter Academy's General Field in Dalzell. Sumter won the opening game of the series on Tuesday 10-0, in five innings as well.

Coker had his team practice on Thursday even though it had just one day off between games.

"I thought about giving them the day off, but we're playing so well," Coker said. "I figured I at least had to get them to hit some. We'll probably do a little intrasquad scrimmage so some pitchers who didn't pitch can get some time on the mound."

While there is just one day between games, Sumter played two games against the Jets that were not high stress at all. The P-15's scored seven runs in the bottom of the first in Game 1 and had a 6-spot in the top of the first on Wednesday.

"We jumped up started hitting the baseball in the first inning in both of those games," Coker said. "As a coach, you've got to love that. You can relax after that."

In Wednesday's first inning, the P-15's had only one hit but took advantage of four Jets errors and two walks from Jets starting pitcher Shane Gaymon.

Josh Burns, who had an RBI single in the first, hit a 3-run home run off of Gaymon in the second to give Sumter its first earned runs of the game and a 9-0 lead.

Burns went 3-for-3 with three runs scored and four runs batted in. Wylie Coker had a hit, three runs and two RBI, while Brennan Jones had two hits, two runs and an RBI. Seth Posey scored two runs and had two RBI, and Jacob Holladay had two RBI.

Holladay picked up the win, working four innings and allowing four hits. He struck out two and walked two and allowed the only run.

AJ Herrera had two of the Jets' hits and scored the lone run. Hunter McGee had a double and Carson Collins drove in the run for Dalzell, which finished the year with a 3-15 record.

After playing extra-inning games in the first two meetings with Dalzell, Sumter won the final three in 5-inning, mercy-rule fashion.

"We hit the baseball was the main thing," coach Coker said of the reason for the change. "Our pitching was good. We threw strikes, didn't hit anybody and didn't walk any batters.

"I think we're getting better and better."

Lexington needed three games to advance to beat Greenwood in its first-round series. After winning the opener by a 29-7 score, Post 7 lost the second game 2-0. It won the deciding game at home on Wednesday by a 5-1 count.

Sumter and Lexington played two regular-season contests, splitting the games.

Coach Coker said Lexington is a balanced team.

"They can hit the baseball, and they've got pitching," Coach Coker said. "This won't be easy. We just have to play Sumter baseball and do it right the way.

Right-hander Dustin Kennedy will start on the mound for Sumter in Game 1.