Manning downs West Ashley 13-3; will play Camden for fourth spot today

The Manning-Santee American Post 68 Legion baseball team routed West Ashley 13-3 in seven innings Saturday to stay alive in the lower state playoffs.

The win improves Manning’s record to 17-13 overall.

“We played well,” said Head Coach G.G. Cutter. “We played relaxed.”

Manning started Justin Powell who threw a solid game.

He threw 6 and 2/3 innings, allowing three runs, seven hits, two strikeouts and four walks.

Zach Graham came in to get the final out and helped secure the win for Manning-Santee.

They also rebounded at the plate accumulating 13 hits.

Michael Keels and Jack Martin each went two-for-five while Jamal Keels and Douglas Ard each went two-for-four.

Heath Smith, Chris Kellahan, Shuler Ward, Powell and Graham all had singles on the night.

Manning also gathered four doubles during the game … three of them were right after the other.

Manning-Santee took a quick 4-0 lead in the first and did not look back.

They added three in the third to take a 7-0 lead and began pulling away.

They scored two in the fourth, fifth and sixth to take the lopsided win.

“We just played our game,” said Cutter.

With the victory, Manning-Santee Post 68 will travel to Camden today to play at 7:30 p.m.

If they win, they will claim the fourth spot behind Florence, Sumter, and Goose Creek and begin the state playoffs at Charleston Southern on Friday.

If they lose, their season will end.