Jackets edge Gaffney

Gaffney's Brett Irvin (hand on helmet) walks back to the dugout with his teammates after blasting a solo homer in the sixth inning against Fort Mill on Saturday. Ledger photo by LARRY HILLIARD Gaffney's Justin Sarratt pitched well, but Fort Mill's Hamilton Bennett was a little better on Saturday.

Bennett struck out nine and scattered seven hits as the Yellow Jackets' moved into the winners' bracket of the upper state playoffs with a 3-1 win over the homestanding Indians. Gaffney plays at Easley today at 7 p.m. in an elimination game.

Sarratt allowed seven hits and K'd 8, but he gave up a three-run homer to Garrett Koster, which proved to the difference.

"Justin threw a heckuva game," Gaffney coach Tom Owens said.

Owens said the key to the game was the Indians' inability to capitalize on scoring opportunities, especially early. McCrae Norton and Sarratt had consecutive hits to start the bottom of the first. They advanced into scoring position on a wild pitch, but were left stranded when the heart of the Indians' batting order couldn't produce a clutch hit.

"We score in the first like we are supposed to do and that changes everything," Owens said. "You have two on and no outs and have your 3, 4 and 5 batter up and we didn't score. We make them change their game if we score then."

The Indians also had a chance to score in the second when Justin Wilkins beat out a bunt and Shane Mills doubled. But the Indians couldn't drive them home.

"We just can't depend on (Sarratt) to take us all the way," Owens said. "Everybody has to take care of their own business. We need to have the killer instinct.

"Bennett is a good pitcher, but we weren't aggressive enough at the plate."

After Sarratt cruised through the first three innings, he ran into trouble in the fourth when Alex Bebeau reached on the Yellow Jackets' first hit. Chris Honeycutt then walked before Koster belted a three-run homer.

The Indians' lone run came in the sixth when Brett Irvin crushed a pitch over the center field wall.

Gaffney falls to 21-6, while Fort Mill is 17-10. The teams split their regular-season games.

Jordan Propst, who is coming off three straight dominant performances, will get the start today.