MEBANE–Orange baseball had to win Friday to get to Saturday.
Though it wasn’t overwhelming, Orange did precisely that to win a share of the Central Conference championship.
Senior Josiah Gibbs struck out seven to improve to 7-0 on the season as the Panthers held off Eastern Alamance 5-2 to close out the regular season at Eagles Field on Friday night. Cameron Guentensberger was called in from centerfield to get the final out, earning his fourth save in six games. The Panthers finished tied with Southern Alamance for first place in the Central at 9-3.
The Patriots and the Panthers are slated to have a one-game playoff to determine the #1 seed from the Central Conference going into the 3A State Tournament on Saturday afternoon at 5 at Southeast Alamance High School in Haw River. It comes after the Panthers and the Patriots split its two-game series last week with the Patriots winning the opener in Graham.
A young Eastern Alamance team solely consisting of freshmen and sophomores committed six errors, which directly led to the opening three Panther runs that proved to be enough. Wyatt Hedrick, one of six Orange senior starters, lined a double off the right field fence to lead off the second. Designated hitter Garrett Sawyer stroked a grounder through the heart of the 5-6 hole for a single, moving Hedrick to third. With Cross Clayton at the plate, Eagles starter James Wellons picked off Sawyer trying to steal, but first baseman Conner Horner’s throw went off the back of Sawyer’s leg as he slid head-first into second. Hedrick scored the opening run as the ball rolled into right field.
Gibbs retired the first seven Eagles in order until Wellons singled to centerfield, the first hit of the two-game series for the Eagles.
Orange freshman Oliver Van Tiem was beaned to open the third inning and Hedrick laid down a bunt to get him over to second. After Sawyer walked, Cross Clayton sent a grounder that appeared to set up a double play, but the throw to second wound up in right field. Van Tiem scored off the error and Sawyer went to third as right fielder Jarrett Newell had trouble picking up the ball in foul territory. That extra base proved crucial as Elijah Santos lined a fastball to Newell, scoring Sawyer off a sacrifice fly to increase Orange’s lead to 3-0.
Eastern’s Zach Merchel provided the first Eagles run of the series solely from his legs. He beat out a throw by Van Tiem for an infield single, stole second, stole third, and scored off a wild pitch by Gibbs, the only run he conceded in five innings.
Clayton sent a fly ball to centerfield where a diving attempt by Tyler Westbrooks came up short and it one-hopped the fence for a double. Santos lined a fastball tight down the left field line to score Clayton. Santos would advance to third off a wild pitch. With Kayden Bradsher at the plate, Merchel uncorked another wild pitch, allowing Santos to score.
There were nervous moments for Orange late, where the final two innings felt like pulling teeth. Newell and Horner drew walks in the sixth, which paved the way for Sawyer to come in from the bullpen. After Kasen McGinnis reached on a fielder’s choice where Van Tiem threw out Newell at second, Horner walked. McGinnis would score from third after Tate Yount grounded out to Ryan Honeycutt at first to cut the Orange lead to 5-2.
In the seventh, the tying run got to first base for Eastern. Sawyer struck out pinch-hitter Christian Vieau, but Rett Page got plunked on the back on a 3-2 pitch. Sawyer struck out Westbrooks, which prompted Orange coach Jason Knapp to call in Guentensberger to close it out. Braxton Ballard sent a bouncer to Clayton at second, but the ball eluded Clayton. Newell loaded the bases after another infield single where Van Tiem did everything he could just to chase it down. McGinnis grounded out to Van Tiem to clinch Orange’s fourth straight conference title.
On Saturday, Orange and Southern Alamance will play in a game that will determine playoff seeding. If Orange wins, they will likely get the #2 seed in the East Region, which means every game will be at home as long as the Panthers keep winning until the Eastern Regional Championship series. If they lose, Orange will likely receive a #12 seed, which means a first-round home game against a more formidable opponent.
There are some things out of Orange’s hands, namely the weather. There’s a 30% chance of rain early Saturday night, which would put the tiebreaker game at Southeast Alamance in question.
But for now, Orange has taken care of what they can control.
They are conference champions. Again.