In the past week, the Gray Collegiate varsity baseball team’s playoff journey has included a 3-2 loss to Mid-Carolina, a 9-2 win in an elimination game against Pelion, and finally back to Mid-Carolina with an exciting must-win doubleheader that the War Eagles pulled off with just enough offense, 7-6 and 4-3, to earn their second Upper State title in a row. 

This set up the opening game in a series against Lower State champs Oceanside Collegiate that will determine the 2A state championship starting May 20. Unfortunately for Gray, their recent track record of having to come from behind continued as they fell to the Landsharks in a 1-0 loss that forces them to win out the next two games in the series to claim the state title.

Gray Collegiate fell behind almost immediately in the first inning, as a pair of base hits gave Oceanside runners in position to score on a one-out fly ball to center field. Starting pitcher Brent Stukes registered his second strikeout of the game to retire the side, but the damage, and the only run of the night, was on the scoreboard. 

In the bottom of the first, the War Eagles had an opportunity to score with runners on base, but one was thrown out at home plate while another ran into a squeeze play off third. 

After an eventful first inning the game settled down into a classic pitcher’s duel, with Stukes going all the way into the 7th inning before leaving the game. 

It wouldn’t be until the bottom of the 6th that either team had any significant scoring opportunities again. Gray loaded the bases on a hit by pitch, but was unable to bring any runners home. One final chance in the bottom of the 7th saw the War Eagles again put two runners on base, but Oceanside ended the game on a strikeout. 

The best of three series will resume this coming Tuesday, with Gray traveling to Mt. Pleasant to face the Landsharks on their home field in yet another must-win situation for the War Eagles.