Larry Hewett/Clarendon Citizen - Manning-Santee’s Zach Graham steals second on his way to scoring Manning’s lone run in the bottom of the first inning of Manning-Santee’s rain delayed game against Georgetown July 9.
Post 68 game tonight/Juniors moved
Second place Manning-Santee’s game against third place Georgetown in the first round of the Lower State American Legion state playoffs was called Monday night with one out in the bottom of the first inning when lightening lit up the skies over Monarchs Field.
During the 20-minute delay, the skies unloaded with rain puddling on the base pads. With dozens of fans and players huddling under the eaves of the canteen, umpires waited more than 30 minutes to call the game as rain continued to fall on the field.
M-S is slated to finish the game tonight at Monarchs Field with weather permitting. The first pitch will be at 7:30 p.m.
The Manning Santee Juniors game against Mullins in the first round of the Lower State American Legion state playoffs that was slated for tonight at Monarchs Field has been moved back a day to 7 p.m. Wednesday.
Mother Nature permitting M-S will play its second game against Georgetown at 7 p.m. at Waccamaw High School in Georgetown.
M-S Head Coach G.G. Cutter said that all the games and times hinge on the weather.
“We hope to get in the game tonight with weather permitting,” Cutter said. “If not, then everything backs up a day.”
Georgetown got off to a quick start when its lead off batter Richard Archer reached on a 3-2 line drive to centerfield. J.D. Whitlock who bunted Archer to second was thrown out at first by shortstop J.T. Eppley. Mason Brett hit a liner to left field which was followed by a hit to right field by Travis Shelley. Archer scored on hit to left field by Patrick Ward. Tyler Ward struck out swinging and Mac Jordan hit into a tag out of Shelley by third baseman Chris Kellahan.
M-S fought back with lead off batter Zach Graham walking on four pitches. Graham stole second during Jack Martin’s at-bat. Martin was called out on strikes for the first out of the inning. Jamal Keels hit a rope into right field that scored Graham. As Greg King, M-S’s DH, was walking to the batter’s box, the umpires called a 20-minute delay because of lightening. The delay continued as rain doused the field eventually calling a halt to the game.
Tonight’s game will continue with one out in the bottom of the first inning with Keels on first and Greg King at bat.
