Manning-Santee opens state playoffs with 11-9 victory over Easley

The Manning-Santee Post 68 American Legion baseball team found a way to win in the opening round of the state playoffs Saturday.

They faced Easley Post 52 from the upstate and came away with an 11-9 win.

Tied 9-9 in the ninth inning, the play of the game was a squeeze play.

Jack Martin bunted, allowing Justin Powell to score from third, giving Manning the go-ahead score.

“That was picture perfect,” said Head Coach G.G. Cutter.

Michael Keels later scored to put Manning up by two.

Easley came to bat in the bottom of the inning but had mustered no runs.

Manning was the number four seed and Easley was the number one. Cutter said a sliver of over confidence may have contributed to Easley’s loss and the way Manning defeated them.

“They think they can go with their number two or three (pitcher) and beat us,” he said. “Our boys just battled.”

Manning was the visiting team and hit the plate first but it took them until the second inning to dent the scoreboard.

Shuler Ward advanced to third base and then scored on a Michael Keels single for a 1-0 lead.

The teams began figuring each other out and it became a slugfest throughout the rest of the way until Martin and Powell’s heroic play.

Manning had one bad inning where they allowed four runs in the third.

Other than that, they handled Post 52 and came out on top.

“If we stay out of those bad innings, we can play with anybody,” Cutter said. “We got some clutch hits and I was proud of the way they came through.”

Pitcher Zan Beasley started on the mound and threw six full innings allowing six runs, seven hits, four strikeout and three walks.

Michael Keels was the leading batter as he went three-for-six with two runs and an RBI.

Martin went three-for-five with two runs, Smith went two-for-five with a run and Powell went three-for-four with three runs.

Jamal Keels, Douglas Ard and Corey Brown also had hits during the game.

With the win, Manning advances to a winner’s bracket on Sunday.

They will play at Charleston Southern University again at 1 p.m. against the Sumter P-15s.