D'Iberville slips past Blue Devils 8-7

by Carey Meitzler

The D'Iberville Warriors scored the winning run on a wild pitch in the bottom of the seventh inning to take a 8-7 win over Pearl River Central

in Game 1 of the South State Semi-Finals at Warrior Field in front of an estimated of an overflow crowd.  The win gives D'Iberville a 1-0 lead

in the best of three series.

PRC (19-10) scored two runs in the top of first on three hits.  Matt Discon lead off with an infield single and was moved to second base on a

sacrifice bunt by Josh Lee.  Heath Graham, who was 4 for 4 on the night, slapped the first pitch he saw from Clayton Seymour into left center to

score Discon. Mike Lehmann followed with a single to left put runners at first and third.  Adam Herrin came on to run for Lehmann as the courtesy

runner.  After a line out by Ram Miller to the shortstop for the second out, Herrin broke early from first and forced a rundown between first and

second base that allowed Graham to race home from third base for a 2-0 lead just before Herrin was tagged out near second base.

Photo by Jill Lee

Head Coach Greg Lewis and Heath Graham (right) look on from third

base in the first inning just before Graham scored from third when Adam

Herrin forced a rundown between first and second base.

The Warriors (24-11) responded in the bottom of the frame by scoring two runs without the ball leaving the infield.  With one out, Matt Neal

walked on a 3-2 pitch from Lehmann.  He moved to second base by stealing his 31st base of the year.  With Neal breaking toward third on

a steal attempt, Dillon Owens grounder was mishandled allowing Neal to round third and score to cut the lead to 2-1.  Owens stole second

and third to give him 38 stolen bases on the season.  He scored to tie the game at 2-2 when a normally routine throw back to the pitcher sailed

over Lehmann's head.

Photo by Jill Lee

D'Iberville's Matt Neal is safe at second on his steal attempt as Heath Graham applies the tag while

Mike Lehmann (16) watches Matt Discon (7) and Derek Penton (back right) try to influence the umpire.

Seymour worked a perfect inning in the top of the second and D'Iberville got three runs in the bottom half on three hits, a wild pitch, and a Blue

Devil throwing error to lead 5-2.  Sean Saucier doubled into the left field corner and scored on a wild pitch. Ryan McQueen had an RBI single

and Matt Neal an RBI double to drive in the other two runs.

The Blue Devils scored one in the top of third with two outs.  Catcher Josh Lee doubled to right center and was replaced by courtesy runner

Brant Graham.  Heath Graham then hit a ball deep in the hole at short allowing Brant Graham to score on a close play at the plate and cut the lead

to 5-3. 

The Warriors scored again in the bottom of the third when Seymour singled with one out and was replaced by courtesy runner David Nelson. 

Nelson moved to second on a wild pitch and on to third on a passed ball.  Patrick Smith plated Nelson with a single to right field that gave

D'Iberville a 6-3 advantage. 

Photo by Jill Lee

Mike Lehmann winds up to deliver a pitch while Heath Graham gets ready at short stop.

After holding PRC scoreless in the top of the fourth, Ryan McQueen was awarded first base when the home plate umpire ruled a pitch had

grazed him.  McQueen stole second and third base to run his season swipe total to 37 and scored from third on a Blue Devil error.

Trailing 7-3, the Blue Devils got two runs in the top of the fifth inning.  Kyle Pearson doubled to start the inning and moved to third on Discon's

ground out to second base.  Josh Lee drove in Pearson with a sacrifice to deep right field.  With two outs, Heath Graham singled, stole second

base and scored when Lehmann's fly ball to center was dropped by the Warriors.

Photos by Jill Lee

Ram Miller bats as Heath Graham takes his lead at third base and Derek Penton (right) watches one slice foul off his bat.

After Lehman held D'Iberville in check, PRC got to runs in the top of the sixth to tie it up.  Jordie Meadows singled to right to lead off the inning.

After a strike out, Discon doubled to left pushing Meadows to third base.  After another strike out, Heath Graham battled back from an 0-2 count

to drive a 3-2 pitch into right field that would roll to the fence allowing both runners to score and putting Graham at third with a triple.

With the game tied at 7-7, Lehman fanned the first two batters to run his total to 11 strike outs in the game.  With two outs, Seymour smacked a

triple to right center field.  Seymour was replaced by courtesy runner Cody Peacock at third.  PRC elected to intentionally walk the next batter

Saucier, a left handed hitter, to face the right handed hitting Smith.  With a 1-0 count on Smith, Lehmann's pitch bounced away from catcher

Josh Lee that allowed Peacock to score from third on a bang bang play at the plate. Lee retrieved the ball and lunged in an attempt to tag out the

runner, but his tag was a split second late allowing the winning run to score.

Lehmann (-3) scattered 8 hits and allowed just two earned runs.  Seymour, now 9-2 on the season, allowed 11 hits, struck out 4 batters, and

allowed only three earned runs.

Game 2 will be at Carriere on Saturday with the first pitch scheduled for 1:00pm.