By Thomas Grant Jr.
After winning in the post-season for the first time since 2019, Irmo baseball earned a spot in the Class 5A Division II Lower State playoffs.
The Yellow Jackets defeated Westwood 13-3 in six innings Thursday in the deciding game of the Best-of-Three play-in series. With the victory, Irmo will travel to West Florence Saturday.
The Redhawks took a 2-0 lead in the Top first on a pair of RBI fielder’s choices. Irmo answered with a 2-run double by Hunter Parsons in the Bottom 1st to tie the game.
After taking a 3-2 in the third on an RBI sacrifice fly by Jayllen Fray, Elliott Graham hit a leadoff solo home run in the Bottom 3rd.
An RBI single by Braylon Graham extended the Yellow Jackets’ lead to 5-2 in the third. Westwood picked up a run in the Top fourth, only for Irmo to load the bases in the bottom half of the inning.
RBI singles by Parsons and winning pitcher Waylon Grillot and sacrifice flies by Dylan White and Caden Hall put the Yellow Jackets on top 9-3.
The next two innings saw Kyler Baker belt two home runs to clinch the victory. He hit a solo shot in the fifth and, after Cooper Klosterman scored on a passed ball and Nolan Mays on third, cleared the bases with a 2-run homer.
While Irmo advanced, River Bluff was eliminated from the Division I playoffs. The Gators lost 10-1 to Mauldin in the deciding game of its Best-of-Three series.
Another Region 4-5A team, Dutch Fork, will open the playoffs Saturday at home against J.L. Mann.
PLAYOFF SCHEDULE
Friday’s Games
(Softball)
Dutch Fork at Wade Hampton
Blythewood at River Bluff
Newberry at Keenan
Pelion at Mid-Carolina
(Girls Soccer)
River Bluff at Lexington
Mid-Carolina at Dixie
Saturday’s Games
(Baseball)
J.L. Mann at Dutch Fork
Irmo at West Florence
Newberry at Dillon/Orangeburg-Wilkinson winner
(Boys Soccer)
Dutch Fork at Lexington
Brookland-Cayce at Gray Collegiate
Irmo at St. James
Featured photo by Thomas Grant, Jr. – The Irmo baseball team greets Kyler Baker (15) after the first of his two home runs against Westwood.
