Jason Avila connects for an opposite field home run to put the Redan Raiders ahead 1-0 in the bottom of the first inning in the opening game of their Class 3A state playoff doubleheader sweep over Burke County. (Photo by Mark Brock)
A marathon doubleheader sweep of Burke County sends the Redan Raiders into the Class 3A GHSA Baseball State Semifinals for the first time since their 2013 Class 4A state title.
The two through four spots in the Raiders’ batting order were the big bats as the trio of Eyon Everett, Deniell Ortiz and Bernard Moon went a combined 13-20 at the plate with 17 RBI, three doubles, three home runs and scored 10 runs in the 11-5, 19-9 wins over the Bears that consisted of almost seven hours of baseball at Greg Goodwin Field at Redan.
Moon teamed up with Jason Avila in the first inning of the 11-5 opening game victory as both hit solo home runs, Avila’s to lead off the bottom of the first inning.
Redan used a couple of Burke errors in the third inning to extend the lead to 5-0 before Burke used a pair of sacrifice flies from Phillip Hodges and Myles Heatwole to close the gap to 5-3 heading into the bottom of the fifth.
Bases-loaded walks to Tionne Witherspoon and Adriel Martinez keyed a three-run fifth for the Raiders as the lead ballooned to 8-3.
Marshall Flowers pulled the Bears within 8-5 with a two-run single in the top of the sixth inning only to have Redan answer again with an RBI double by Ortiz and Moon with his second “Moon Shot” of the game, this time a two-run dinger to make it 11-5.
Avila finished off the game by setting the Bears down in order to put the Raiders up 1-0 in the best-of-three series.
Moon got the win going four innings for the Raiders allowing just one hit, striking out four and one unearned run. Everett was 3-4 with a doubles and two runs scored to lead the hitting while Moon was 2-3 with his two homers and three RBI.
A sliding Eyon Everett picks up an easy stolen base in Redan’s win against Burke County. (Photo by Mark Brock)
Game 2: Redan 19, Burke Co. 9
Redan (26-5) rallied from a 7-4 deficit after four innings by outscoring the Bears (26-8) 12-2 over the final three innings on the way to 19-9 win to secure the series sweep.
Eyon Everett singled to left field with two out and the bases loaded to score two runs in the top of the fifth pulling the Raiders with 7-6. Ortiz followed with a double to left to knot the game at 7-7.
Moon stepped to the plate and was intentionally walked to load the bases. Manolo Parcel stepped in and drew a bases-loaded walk to give the Raiders an 8-7 edge.
Redan starting pitcher Anthony Mateo allowed one base runner in the bottom of the fifth but did not allow run to bring the Raiders back up to bat in the top of the sixth.
The Raiders extended the lead to 13-7 with a five-run inning keyed by an RBI single by Everett and a three-run homer off the bat of Ortiz.
Flowers RBI single and a bases-loaded walk to Hodges closed the gap to 13-9 only to have the Raiders strike for six runs in the top of the seventh.
A bases-loaded walk to Jason Avila and wild pitch accounted for the first two runs for the Raiders in the seventh. Ortiz followed with a sacrifice fly for a third run and Moon stroked his third homer of the doubleheader to drive in three more runs for a 19-9 lead.
Ortiz worked out of a one-out, runners on second and third jam with a groundout and a fly ball to right to close out the game for the Raiders.
Mateo got the victory on the mound for the Raiders going 5 2/3 innings while allowing five earned runs, four hits and striking out four.
Everett was 3-4 with four RBI followed by Ortiz at 2-3 with 5 RBI including a double, home run and sacrifice fly and Moon at 2-3 with 4 RBI, a double and a home run.
Redan goes on the road in the semifinal round on Monday to play the winner of Franklin County (27-7) and Pierce County (28-4) who play a third game today (Wednesday) after splitting their doubleheader on Tuesday night at Pierce.
It will be Redan’s fifth Final Four appearance overall including the 1982, 2003, 2010 and 2013 seasons.