Lake View—Southside Christian School won its second consecutive Class A baseball state
championship with a 5-2 win over Lake View on Tuesday, and the Sabres overcame a lot of
obstacles during the season to earn gold once again.
“I am so proud of the turn-around this team had just to get to the state finals this year,” said
Sabres head coach Scott Freeman, who also won a state title in 2004 at Mauldin. “We were 3-7
at one point in the season and we finished third in our region this season.
“To come into a hostile environment at Lake View and get the win to win a state title is
difficult and exciting at the same time,” said Freeman. “Two years ago, they rallied in the
seventh inning for a 7-6 win, to win the title. Tonight, they got two runners on in the bottom of the
seventh with one out and I am thinking, 'Here we go again.'
“With one out we brought in Matthew Mills from second base, and he struck-out the first
batter he faced,” said Freeman. “Then he got to be on the bottom of the dog pile, when he
got the final out of the game on a groundout.”
Southside Christian did not start a senior in the game. The Sabres started two eighth-graders, one
freshman, one sophomore and the rest were juniors.
“When we were 3-7, we brought two eighth-graders from the JV (junior varsity)and they started the
rest of the season,” said Freeman. “Jacob Wiggs played second most of the season and Wiggs was our
starting shortstop.”
Southside Christian scored its first run in the top of the first when sophomore Tyler Boleman reached
on a single and later scored on an RBI single. In the third inning, SCS broke the game open with three runs to
go up 4-0. Boleman led off with a single, and two batters later sophomore catcher Cole Atkins walked.
Junior George Messingill walked to load the bases. Junior Kolby Sentelle then singled in two runs and the
final run of the inning came in on a passed ball.
SCS added an insurance run in the sixth inning. Freshman Carson Boleman, a Wake Forest
commitment, and Cole Tarango reached on walks. An RBI single by Jacob Wiggs produced the
Sabres' final run.
Lake View scored one run in the bottom of the seventh . Kason Herlong started the inning with a
walk and advanced to third on a single by Zack Hunt. Herlong scored the Wild Gators' final run
on a fielder’s choice.
Tyler Boleman led the Sabres going 2-for-4, and Wiggs, Massengill and Carson Boleman each
had a hit. Massengill was the winning pitcher, working six innings and giving up three hits with
six strikeouts.
Lake View used three pitchers, Herlong, Noah Cribb and Hunt, who combined to allow
five runs on six hits with nine strikeouts. Lake View was led at the plate by Hunt, who went 2-for-3, while Chris McGill and Bradley Borders had one hit each.
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