Indians rally for pair of key wins

Ledger photo by LARRY HILLIARD Cameron Culp, who singled home the tying run, congratulates McCrae Norton for his hit that lifted Gaffney to a 4-3 victory over Byrnes on Monday. The Gaffney High baseball team had a big task on Monday and Tuesday: beat Byrnes and Mauldin to keep its playoff hopes alive.

The Indians accomplished the task in dramatic fashion.

Bobby Jackson was huge in Gaffney's comefrom behind 4-3 victory over visiting Byrnes on Monday. Jackson struck out eight and allowed four hits to earn the win. He also started the game-winning rally in the bottom of the seventh with a walk.

John Michaels helped the Indians' keep their momentum going, pitching two scoreless innings of relief and knocking in the game-winning hit in a 6-4 extra-inning win over Mauldin on Tuesday.

The wins lift the Indians to 5-6 in the region and greatly improves their playoff hopes.

Cameron Culp went a solid six innings against the Mavericks before giving way to Michaels.

With the game tied at 4 in the top of the eighth, Michaels singled to make it 5-4. McCrae Norton then added an insurance run with a RBI single.

The Indians led 4-1 after Michael Hughey's 2- run single in the fourth. After failing to score with the bases loaded in the fourth, Mauldin scored three times in the fifth to tie the game at 4.

A key moment in the Indians' win over Byrnes came in the bottom of the seventh when Culp singled sharply to score Jackson with the gametying run.

After the Indians loaded the bases, Norton delivered the game-winning hit with a smash through a drawn-in infield.

Gaffney coach Tom Owens singled out Culp, Dylan Jolley, Jackson and Norton for their contributions on Monday.

"Cameron got the key hit to tie the game," Owens said. "He fought off some good pitches and had a good at bat. Dylan also had a big hit, Bobby threw the ball well and McCrae came through with the winning hit."

The Rebels jumped to 1-0 in the top of the third before Gaffney answered with a run to tie it.

The Rebels went on top 3-1 with a pair of runs in the fifth. But the Indians sliced the deficit in half with a run in the bottom of the frame.

The Indians host T.L. Hanna in a nonregion game today at 6 p.m.