By Thomas Grant Jr.
The first-ever appearance in the Senior League Baseball World Series for South Carolina Southeast (Irmo) opened in heartbreaking fashion Sunday night in Easley.
Grayson Austin’s walkoff RBI single in the bottom of the 7th inning lifted host team South Carolina Post 1 (Easley) past Irmo 3-2 in the quarterfinal game.
It was the second straight game won by the same score by Easley. It will now play in the semifinal Tuesday, while Irmo faces Southwest in a 4 p.m. elimination game Monday.
Easley took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the 1st inning on an RBI single by Kade Scruggs. Irmo tied the game in the top of the third inning as Coleman Fryer singled home Raleigh Salters.
Scruggs drove in his second run of the game in the bottom half of the inning with a single to make it 2-1. Irmo loaded the bases in the top of the fourth inning and Reese Jolley hit into a double play to Charlie Meija to tie the game again.
It stayed that way until the bottom of the seventh inning. Jasean Perry hit a leadoff single, stole second and scored as Austin’s single to rightfield went past a charging Luke Becker.
All the games will be streamed on ESPN+.
