Friday’s visit to John Nave Stadium at Legion Field produced homefield advantage in the 1st round of S.C. American Baseball Summer League playoffs for Lexington Post 7.

A doubleheader sweep of Greenwood Post 20 enabled Lexington (10-7, 5-4-1) to finish 3rd in the final Midlands Division standings. The twinbill also served as a playoff warmup as the 2 teams will start a Best-of-3 1st round series Monday at Roscoe Frye Field in Lexington.

The other 1st round matchups will feature top-seed West Columbia 79 against Richland Post 215, North Augusta and Chapin/Newberry versus North Augusta. The winners will advance to another Best-of-3 series with the 4 remaining finalists competing at Segra Park in a double-elimination tournament. 

West Columbia's doubleheader with Richland Post 215 was cancelled Friday due to field conditions at Seven Oaks Park in Irmo. 

GAME 1 - Lexington 12, Greenwood 5

Lexington graduate and University of South Carolina signee David Cromer provided all the offense necessary in the comeback win.

Cromer went 3-3 with 6 RBI and came within a triple of completing the cycle. His offensive outburst was highlighted by a 352-foot 3-run homer in the top of the 5th.

Because Game 1 was a makeup of a previously rained out contest, Lexington was the home team. It found itself trailing 4-0 after Greenwood after a wild pitch by starter Will Whicker and passed ball to catcher Patrick Boyle scored 2 runs and Thomas Beauford followed with a 2-run single.

Post 7 rallied for 9 unanswered runs over the next 5 innings. Josh Turner drew a bases loaded walk in the Top 2nd to start the 6-run rally and Boyle scored on a passed ball to make it 4-2. 

A RBI sacrifice fly by River Bluff graduate Jacob Lebron of Newberry cut the deficit to 4-3. Noah Davis of Chapin tied the game with an RBI single and Cromer doubled home Cam Ferrell to put Lexington ahead.

An RBI fielder’s choice by Gilbert’s Travis Elliott of The Citadel closed out the inning.

Matt Eaddy made it 7-4 in the bottom of the 3rd after a throwing error in centerfield following a single by Lebron. With 2 outs, Cromer belted a 2-run single to extend the lead to 9-4.

A throwing error by Boyle, who threw out 2 baserunners in Game 1, allowed a baserunner to score for Greenwood in the 4th inning. Cromer answered in the bottom 5th when he homered over the leftfield wall to score Davis and Lebron.

After a slow start, winning pitcher Will Wicker struck out 4 in final innings. Kolby Craps held Greenwood to just 1 hit in 2 innings of relief.

GAME 2 - Lexington 4, Greenwood 0

Lexington’s Elijah Ogden and reliever Jacob Lebron combined to hold Greenwood to 3 hits and struck out 10 batters in the shutout victory.

Boyle put Lexington up 2-0 with a 2-run double in the Top of the 2nd. Elliott scored on a wild pitch in the 4th and Clemson signee Ricky Williams of River Bluff drove in a run in the 4th after he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.

Ogden finished with 8 strikeouts and allowed just 2 hits in 5 innings. 

FINAL MIDLANDS DIVISION STANDINGS

1. West Columbia Post 79

2. North Augusta

3. Lexington Post 7 

4. Greenwood Post 20

5. Chapin/Newberry 

6. Richland Post 215