For the second time in less than a week, Brookland-Cayce overcame Waccamaw in dramatic walk-off fashion.

The Bearcats beat the Warriors 3-2 Monday in the high school baseball playoffs when Dylan Mclnchok dropped a single into centerfield in the bottom of the seventh. 

B-C catcher Ty Marshall had walked and moved to second on a bunt by Jackson Thomas. Marshall scored on Mclnchok's single for the game-winner. 

With the win, Brookland-Cayce is the 3A, Lower District 5 champion and will face Dreher on Thursday in the four-team, double-elimination Lower State playoff bracket. 

Brookland-Cayce's BJ Etheridge pitched a complete game, throwing 108 pitches, and got the win. Diego Patrick, who came on with two out in the third inning for Waccamaw starter Si Bodie, was tagged with the loss. 

On May 4, B-C's  Hayden Thomas homered in the bottom of the seventh to defeat Waccamaw, 2-1. 

In Monday's game, Waccamaw, from Region VII-3A,  jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first after Ben Cohen doubled. Cohen scored on a Si Brodie single. Cohen also hit an infield single in the third and then moved to second on an error. He advanced to third on a groundout by Brodie. Cohen then scored on a passed ball to put the Warriors up 2-0. 

In the bottom of the fourth, Brookland-Cayce's Tanner Staton legged out an infield single and moved  to second on a Parker Mergo bunt. Staton scored on a Hayden Thomas single up the middle. Waccamaw was up at the point, 2-1. Thomas stole second and scored, to tie it up at two, when Etheridge dropped a blooper into left field. 

The Warriors were able to load the bases in the sixth, but pinch-hitter Sawyer Brinson grounded into a force out, Etheridge to Marshall, at home plate. 

Along with Brookland-Cayce, four other Lexington County teams won their districts and advanced to the final eight of their classifications. 

 5A

Lexington 

The Lexington Wildcats advance past the district with a 9-3 win over Clover, thanks to the help of a massive five-run fifth inning to erase a 3-1 deficit. The Wildcats got big home runs from Patrick Evans and Landon Knight to create the vital separation.

The Wildcats’ playoff run began with a 4-2 win over Mauldin, which set up a winners bracket contest with Dorman. Lexington took care of business with a 7-3 win which set up the championship win against Clover after they beat Mauldin and avenged their loss to Dorman. 

Lexington will play in the Upper State bracket and will face T.L. Hanna in the opener on May 11. The other two teams in the bracket are Boiling Springs and Blythewood.

River Bluff

The River Bluff Gators beat Stratford 6-4 to win their district and advance to the Lower State bracket. The Gators trailed 3-1 after the first inning, but a big five-run bottom of the second pushed them to a win.

River Bluff’s playoff run started with an 8-3 win over Stratford followed up by a 5-0 shutout win over Sumter thanks to a Mattie Garris shutout and a big Beau Hollins home run.

River Bluff is slated to begin Lower State bracket play against Wando on May 11. The other teams in the Lower State bracket are Berkeley and Summerville.

2A

Pelion

The Pelion Panthers were the first team to punch their ticket past the district in Lexington County on May 9 with their close 2-1 win over Abbeville. Starting pitcher Noah Pegues went the distance with a complete game, ten-strikeout performance to send the Panthers to the Upper State bracket.

Pelion’s playoff journey began with a blowout 10-0 win over Keenan to send them to the winners bracket. The Panthers followed that dominant performance up with another ten-run outburst, beating Blacksburg 10-3 to set up the aforementioned title contest against Abbeville. 

The Panthers will start their Upper State bracket competition May 11 against Mid-Carolina. The other teams in the Upper State bracket are Gray Collegiate Academy and Strom Thurmond.

Gray Collegiate Academy

The War Eagles joined Pelion in the Upper State bracket after they defeated Batesburg-Leesville 6-4 in the Region 4 title game.

Gray breezed through the first part of the district with a 10-0 opening win over Landrum and a dominant 11-0 win over Saluda in the following round.

Batesburg-Leesville lost a heartbreaker to Saluda in the opener but made their way to face Gray after elimination game wins against Landrum and Saluda.

Gray will face Strom Thurmond to begin Upper State bracket play. The other teams in the bracket are Pelion and Mid-Carolina.