Post 109's Jordan Garrett hustles into third base after the second of his two triples in a series-clinching win over Richland Friday at Commissioners Field. Photo by LARRY HILLIARD In a pregame interview, Post 109 manager Zach Clary was running through a list of must-dos if his team was to advance past the first round of the state playoffs, until he paused to point out the most obvious.

“We need to jump on top early,” Clary said.

Post 109 did just that, piling up the runs in bushels to take a 14-2 victory over visiting Richland in an anticlimatic decisive game five on Friday.

Post 109 hosts Easley, winner in five games over Clover, tonight in another best-of-five series. Game time is 7 p.m.

“The key was jumping out early and that was the key,” said a relieved Clary after the game.

In a veteran skipper move, the firstyear manager tweaked his lineup, moving cleanup hitter Bubba Wright down in the order and inserting Jordan Garrett into Wright’s spot.

The move worked probably better than even Clary had hoped, as Wright belted a 3-run homer as part of a sixrun, second inning. Garrett did his part, too, going 4 for 4 with five RBIs.

Bobby Jackson, who went five innings to get the win, helped his own cause with a 3-run blast in the fourth inning that made it 11-2.

Gaffney added three more runs in the fifth to turn the game into a laugher.

With the outcome no longer in doubt, the only uncertainty was whether the unexpected heavy rains that began in the fourth inning would force the game to be postponed.

But Mother Nature cooperated and play resumed after an hour.

Jackson returned to the mound in the fifth inning to earn the victory. A pair of solo homers by Raymond Prince were the only blemish marks on Jackson’s blue-collar statsheet.

Garrett replaced Jackson and pitched the sixth and seventh before play was halted on the 10-run mercy rule.

Ryan Westbrook, the game two winner last series against Richland, will start today’s game.