Gaffney enters playoffs on roll

By LARRY HILLIARDLedger Sports Editor

Signs point to the Gaffney Indians going far in the Class 4A state playoffs.

Justin Sarratt and Holden Poole both singled twice and Brock White allowed just five hits in four innings of work as the Indians extended their win streak to five games with an easy 12-4 victory over visiting Lancaster Monday.

Gaffney, the No. 2-seed which ended the regular season at 16-10 overall and 7-3 in region play, will open the playoffs at home Thursday at 7 p.m. against Greenwood.

“I feel like other people in the state think Gaffney is one of the top teams in the state,” Gaffney coach Tom Owens said. “Our pitching has been good and everybody has stepped up big.”

Especially the pitchers, who have given the team quality starts the last few weeks.

“We have to play our ball and not let anybody take us out of our game,” he said.

Lancaster sure didn’t do it.

The Indians jumped to a 2-0 lead in the first when Andy Strickland reached on an error and scored on Sarratt’s single. Preston Byars then knocked in Sarratt.

After the Bruins went ahead 4-2, Gaffney regained its lead with four runs in the third. Stephen Kaemmerlen had a key 2-run single and Poole deliverd a RBI single for the Indians’ suddenly hot offense.

Gaffney added another run in the fourth before breaking the game open with three more runs in the fifth. Strickland knocked in a run while a couple of Lancaster misplays brought in the other two runs.

The Indians tacked on two more runs in the sixth.

Preston Byars didn’t give up a run after relieving White.

Lancaster’s Stephen Neff was tagged with the loss.

Sarratt will get the start on Thursday.

“He’s our ace,” Owens said. “In the playoffs, you have to win them one game at a time.”