Iron Horses enter crucial stretch with baseball region title at stake
The Philip Simmons High School baseball team entered the final two weeks of the regular season with a chance to make school history.
The Iron Horses entered play this week with a 17-3 record, which is on pace to be the best regular-season record in the program’s nine-year history.
But the team’s focus is on winning another Region 6-AA championship, and the Iron Horses face a big test this week that will decide the region title. The Iron Horses have a road game at Andrews High School on April 22 and then play the Yellow Jackets once more, this time at home on April 24. Andrews began play this week with a 6-0 record in region action, while Philip Simmons is 5-0.
Coach Josh Kubisz’s squad head to Andrews with a five-game winning streak as the Iron Horses are on a mission and playing with passion to get back to the Class AA State Championship Series.
The team made history last May by reaching the championship and beating Batesburg-Leesville in the first game of the best-of-three series. But Batesburg-Leesville rallied to win the next two games to claim the state title.
The Iron Horses are coming off a 17-0 victory over Timberland, with Blake Johnson as the pitching and hitting star. He didn’t allow a hit against the Wolves in a game called after four innings because of the 10-run rule. He went 2-for-4 at the plate and stole two bases.
Johnson began the week with a team-best .462 batting average while leading the team with 30 hits, 30 runs and a school record 22 stolen bases. Brian Ebeling was hitting .433. Max Stafford was hitting .403. Alex Romanski led the team with four homers.
The Iron Horses, who have won 24 of their last 29 games, face Andrews and then play a pair of non-region games – April 28 at Waccamaw and April 29 at Hanahan – and close out the regular season with an April 30 Region 6-AA clash at Academic Magnet.
The state playoffs begin May 5, with the state championship series set for May 23-30.
TRACK MEET SCHEDULES
Philip Simmons and Bishop England are putting the finishing touches on solid seasons.
Philip Simmons begins its bid for a Class AA state championship when the Iron Horses compete in the Region 6-AA championships, which will be contested April 29 at Woodland High School.
The Iron Horses return to Woodland on May 9 for the Class AA state qualifier, with the state championships slated for May 15 at Richland Northeast High School.
Ryan McCauley coaches the boys’ team, which has claimed two state titles and three state runner-up finishes. His wife, Emma McCauley, coaches the girls' team, which has won three state championships while finishing in second place twice during its brief history.
Meanwhile, Bishop England’s bid for state championship gold commences April 29 when Tony Colizzi’s squad travels to Beaufort High School for the Region 6-AAAA championships.
The Bishops will compete in the Class AAAA state qualifier on May 8 at Woodland. The Class AAAA state championships are set for May 14 at Richland Northeast.
The Bishop boys and girls have combined for 18 state titles and six second-place finishes in the program’s illustrious history.