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SUMMERVILLE — While disappointed with the way the 2024 season ended, Ashley Ridge baseball coach BJ Bellush came away from Friday night’s 3-1 loss to Lexington in the Class AAAAA state championship game with the utmost respect for his team.
Lexington overcame an early 1-0 deficit to sweep the best-of-three championship series, winning its first title since 2013.
Ashley Ridge, a team that entered the playoffs with only six regular season wins, got hot late and won seven postseason games before the losses to Lexington.
“I told these guys they will forever have a special place in my heart for the way they came together and just battled their way into an opportunity to win a state championship,” said Bellush, who led the program to a state title in 2012. “No one gave us a chance and we used that as motivation. This team just kept battling and fighting and they have nothing to hang their heads about. We wanted to win the state championship. We came up short. But this team is a really special group.”
Ashley Ridge scored a run in the bottom of the first inning, but left the bases loaded.
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“Certainly we wanted to come away with a crooked number there early,” Bellush said. “We score a couple early and maybe we create some doubt.”
Lexington managed just one hit through four innings against Ashley Ridge junior pitcher Noah Seguer, but the Wildcats made solid contact in the fifth, taking a 2-1 lead. Lexington added a run in the sixth.
The Swamp Foxes got a pair of singles to open the bottom of the seventh. A sacrifice bunt moved the runners up with Ashley Ridge’s four and five hitters facing Lexington junior Brandon Cromer, a South Carolina commitment.
After a walk to Cooper Godsave loaded the bases, Cromer went to a 3-0 count on Andrew McLaughlin but rallied to record a key strikeout. The game ended on a fly ball to right.
“Kind of the story in the series,” Bellush said. “We got runners on in game one and tonight but we just couldn’t come up with the big hit. That’s baseball. We had our chances to win both games. We just were a little short.”
More information
- 'Hardest-working' Summerville team claims 2nd straight softball title
- Oceanside, James Island take baseball state titles; Hanahan faces deciding game after controversial call
- Hanahan fights back in last inning, but falls short in state title game
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