North Myrtle Beach baseball opens playoffs with a 5-0 win over Bluffton

Three pitchers combine to toss a four-hit shutout for the Chiefs

NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, SOUTH CAROLINA - Whenever he looks at his lineup card, North Myrtle Beach baseball Brian Alderson knows there are many good options.

And that has to fuel confidence.

Austin Long, Allen McCormick and Sawyer Smith combined on a four-hitter while Luke Roupe smacked a two-run double as the state's No. 1-ranked 4-A team opened the state playoffs on Monday with a solid 5-0 win over Bluffton.

“Our guys played well,” Alderson said. “We didn't get rattled.”

North Myrtle Beach may have enough pitching for three teams and the Chiefs displayed just some of their depth against the Bobcats.

It was more than enough.

Long hurled 4 2/3 innings, allowing a pair of hits with six strikeouts and no walks. McCormick went 1 1/3 innings and Smith, who is just a freshman, dominated the seventh inning with a pair of strikeouts.

Some of that depth was a result of necessity. Roupe, a sophomore who has committed to Vanderbilt, has been limited to 13 innings all season due to injury issues.

“It’s good that we do,” Alderson said. “We’ve got a couple that's gimpy. ... The guys we’ve called out have done really good.”

The Chiefs (22-5) have also proven opportunistic with the bats. They produced two sacrifice flies, got another run home on a fielder’s choice and had a pair of bunt singles.

North Myrtle Beach's Izzy May hits a sacrifice fly for the Chiefs first run against Bluffton / Mike Duprez photo

That’s part of the plan, too.

“We preach whatever it takes,” Alderson said. “It can be a ground ball. It can be a fly ball. We can get a bunt down. Whatever it takes. Make it happen.”

This one was no gimme, either.

Teams ranked No. 1 in the state usually draw an opponent with an inferior record. That’s not how it worked on Monday. Bluffton was 13-9 and started a pitcher, Miles Frye, who had a 1.72 earned run average.

Bluffton's Miles Frye delivers a pitch / Mike Duprez photo

“We knew they had a good arm,” Alderson said. “You try to get some scouting reports for the playoffs and we knew he was pretty good. He keeps you off-balance, throws a good breaking ball.”

Bluffton figured to stay in the game with Frye on the mound and that’s what happened.

The Chiefs didn't break through until the fourth inning. Roupe led off with a walk and then C.J. Oxendine belted a single to left. They ended up on second and third when the ball was mishandled in the outfield.

Frye got Mason Cox on a comebacker to the mound but he didn't fool May, who had singled in his first at-bat in the second inning. May lofted a sacrifice fly, staking the Chiefs to a 1-0 lead.

“I try to take the middle away,” May said. “If they throw it inside, I’ve got quick hands to turn on it. I knew he wasn't going to blow it by me. I’ve faced harder pitchers and I’ve hit off them. I have the mental mindset. Just go up there, have fun and swing.”

Long wasn't having much trouble at all but his night on the mound was done with two out in the fifth. There are three games this week and pitch counts are crucial.

“A lot of people on the other side of the fence were probably scratching their heads,” Alderson said. “He was pretty much cruising. But we had to keep him under 75 so he can pitch again at the end of the week.”

There was no objection, not even with body language.

“I was fine with it because I’ll get more innings,” Long said. “We got some other guys more innings to see what they can do in stressful situations.”

North Myrtle Beach pitcher Austin Long tosses to first after fielding a grounder / Mike Duprez photo

There, indeed, was some stress.

With it still being a 1-0 game, McCormick was touched for a walk and bit before getting a strikeout to end the inning.

“We trust our dudes,” Alderson said. “They have played well to earn that trust.”

Frye’s time on the mound was done when Cody Rice reached base on a wild pitch strikeout leading off the bottom of the fifth.

Bluffton’s bullpen didn't prove to be as deep.

Chase Sturgeon greeted Tyler Wolfe with a bunt single and Chance Hall was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Smith’s sacrifice fly extended North Myrtle Beach’s lead to 2-0. Roupe may not be seeing much time on the mound but he's swinging a good bat and his two-run double down the line in left made it a 4-0 game.

“Just hit the ball hard, drove in some runs,” Roupe said. “Do my job.”

The timing could not have been better for the Chiefs.

“That was huge,” Alderson said. “It gave us some breathing room. We were kind of on the edge of our seats.”

The Chiefs added another insurance run in the sixth on Sturgeon’s fielder’s choice grounder.

North Myrtle Beach will host Richland Northeast on Wednesday as 4-A bracket play continues.

The ball gets out of North Myrtle Beach first baseman Cody Rice's glove as Bluffton's Tyler Wolfe dives back to the bag on a pickoff throw / Mike Duprez photo