By Thomas Grant Jr.
After struggling in non-region play after clinching the Region 4-4A baseball title, Airport entered the post-season Monday looking to regain its momentum.
The Eagles struggled to score through the first 5 ½ innings against first-round opponent Westside. In the bottom of the sixth, they found their stride with a 5-run rally to defeat the Rams 6-2.
Westside loaded the bases in the top of the first inning. It then scored off a double play and an error to take a 2-0 lead.
Airport starting pitcher Graham Whittle allowed just one hit and walk over the remaining six innings. Meanwhile, the offense only mustered a home run by Brice Gillette in the bottom of the second inning.
The Eagles made their comeback in the bottom of the sixth inning. Miller Harrelson drew a leadoff walk; Cam Atkins singles and Shane Hanna was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
Landon Jeffcoat then laid down a soft bunt on which he reached first safety. More important, Harrelson scored on the play to tie the game.
Gillette broke the tie with a 2-run single to give the Eagles their first lead. Following a pitching change, Price Jackson followed with another 2-run single to rightfield.
Whittle closed out the seventh inning to advance Airport into Wednesday’s winner bracket home game against Indian Land.
SOFTBALL
The Lady Eagles opened the Class 4A playoffs Tuesday at Greenville riding a 5-game winning streak.
All of the wins took place in non-region play, starting with back-to-back one-run wins over Orangeburg-Wilkinson and Westwood. Airport closed out the season with a 10-0 shutout win over Dreher, a 13-3 victory over archrival Brookland-Cayce and defeating Wagener-Salley 15-6 led by Avery Ingram’s five RBI on three hits.
They extended the streak to six with an 8-3 win over Greenville. Ingram went 2-4 with three RBI and Ariana Feliciano was 3-4 with an RBI.
SOCCER
The Lady Eagles finished the regular season in third place in Region 4-4A.
They opened the Class 4A playoffs at Easley on Tuesday. The match went scoreless through regulation and one overtime before Airport gave up a goal in the second overtime for the 1-0 loss.
Airport finished the season with a 16-4 record.
Through the first 5 ½ innings in the first-round matchup with Westside, the Eagles found themselves trailing 2-1. The lone hit came courtesy of a solo home run by Brice Gilette.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Eagles found their stride courtesy of Gillette.
