By DENNIS BRUNSON dennisb@theitem.com
COLUMBIA - From his perch in center field at Capital City Stadium, Sumter's J. Tyler Smith watched teammate and starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery go to field a bunt in the first inning of the P-15's championship game against Murrells Inlet in the American Legion baseball state tournament on Wednesday.
He saw Montgomery trip and go to the ground while trying to pick up the bunt, allowing the runner to reach. Smith kept waiting for Montgomery to get up, but then he saw him holding his knee.
"I thought he would be getting up," Smith said. "When he didn't, I then started to realize that was coming in to pitch."
And pitch he did. Smith came on in relief of Montgomery with two on and no outs and pitched the rest of the way, earning the victory in the P-15's 4-2 victory that clinched the state crown and earned them a berth in next week's Southeast Regional.
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Maturity, experience helped P-15's win title
Patrick Enzor / The Item Sumter third baseman Patrick Gordon throws to first baseman Zach Sherrill for the last out of the American Legion baseball state championship game against Murrells Inlet.
By DENNIS BRUNSON dennisb@theitem.com
COLUMBIA - When the Sumter P-15's won the American Legion baseball state tournament in 2008 on the way to both the Southeast Regional and American Legion World Series played in Shelby, N.C., both Bruce Caldwell and Michael Blackmon were starters on that team.
With a team that included the likes of Matt Talley, Travis Witherspoon, Matt Price, Tyler Christman, Tony Micklon and Quentrell Nelson, Caldwell and Blackmon were key parts, but not leaders.
After Wednesday's 4-2 victory over Murrells Inlet on Wednesday, the duo will be the leaders of a team on its way to the Southeast Regional in Columbia, Tenn., set to begin on Aug. 4.
"It feels good to be part of this and it shows that we're a really good team," said Caldwell, whose team improved to 31-3 after winning the deciding game in the state tournament at Capital City Stadium."We didn't know how far this team would go, but it was a goal to win this. The team really worked hard for it."
Caldwell was named the most valuable offensive player for the tournament, going 7-for-20 with two doubles, a triple and a home run while driving in six runs scoring three times.
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