State 1A baseball playoffs

Gators eliminate
N. Johnston 3-1

LAKE WACCAMAW - The East Columbus Gators moved into the third round of the state 1A playoffs for the second straight year Tuesday with a 3-1 second-round victory over the visiting North Johnston Panthers.

Coach Karl Bracey’s Gators got the game-deciding runs in the bottom of the sixth inning on back-to-back doubles by Demetrius McKelvie and Caleb Andrews and a run-scoring single by Allen Bracey.

East Columbus, now carrying a 13-8 record, will entertain Topsail (19-6) on Friday night at 7. Topsail, a member of the Coastal Plains Conference, advanced with a 7-4 second-round win over Wallace-Rose Hill.

C.J. Ganus was winning pitcher for the Gators, giving up four hits and striking out seven batters in going the distance.

The Carolina Conference champion North Johnston team scored its lone run in the first inning.

East Columbus tied the score in the second inning when Ganus drew a walk, moved to second on a single by Derrick Bracey and scored on a single by Alton Holloman.

The Gators, who had opened the playoffs last Friday with a 10-0 victory over East Carteret, had five hits for the night.

Nixon was the losing pitcher for the Panthers, who closed their season with a 13-7 record.

Last spring, East Columbus advanced to third-round play with victories over Ayden-Griton and Rosewood before falling to eventual state champion Princeton in nine innings.

Nixon and Pope; Ganus and Williamson.