Beaufort downs Hartsville 9-7 in district championship

All season long, Beaufort High School has shown its opponents they are a team that won’t lay down and quit.

After being down 5-1 against Hartsville High School, Beaufort fought back and claimed a 9-7 win in dramatic fashion.

Head Coach Keith Riley said he has a bunch of fighters who are used to finding ways to win big games.

“We’ve been in these type of situations all year long,” said Riley. “We’ve done such a great job all year long with that. These guys know how to battle back.”

Hartsville gave the Eagles a bit of a scare in the first inning, dropping five runs. Still, the Eagles continued to stay patient at the plate and stuck with the game plan.

“We just kept talking to our kids after every inning,” said Riley. “We don’t like to get ahead of ourselves. They didn’t seem to be discouraged. As I said, they’ve been through this before.”

Beaufort cut into the lead with a solo home run by Drew Luckey and added two more in the bottom of the third.

Wade Olliveri drove in two runs off a base hit in the fourth, but Hartsville was able to salvage the rest of the inning.

Olliveri had a big night for the Eagles, which put a huge smile Riley’s face.

“He’s a big-time player for us,” said Riley. “I’m so proud of the game he had tonight.”

Beaufort tied the game at six, courtesy of an RBI single by Connor Clancy.

From there, a battle for the lead ensued, with Beaufort and Hartsville exchanging one run. But the Eagles punched in two more runs to preserve the win.

The district championship is special for all, but especially for the seniors. Riley noted he has a special group of veterans whose work ethic has put them in the position they are in today.

“I came in to Beaufort when they were freshmen, so I’ve been with them every step of the way and it’s been awesome to see them grow and mature,” said Riley.

This story was originally published May 1, 2017 at 8:43 PM with the headline "Beaufort downs Hartsville 9-7 in district championship."