Catawba completes quick rise to SCHSL baseball state championship

In just the school's fourth year, the Copperheads top North Myrtle Beach for the Class 4A state title

It didn't take long for Catawba Ridge to become a baseball power.

The Copperheads, in just their fourth year of existence, beat North Myrtle Beach 7-3 in Game 3 to win the 4-A state championship series.

Wofford commit Jake McCoy shook off a two-run homer by Vanderbilt commit Luke Roupe in the first inning to hurl six solid innings as the Copperheads won two games after losing the opener in the best-of-three series.

Roupe’s home run staked the Chiefs to a 2-0 lead. But the Copperheads pulled even with two runs off North Myrtle Beach starter Josh Surigao in the bottom of the second on a Brennan Helms run-scoring single and a passed ball. Helms was 2-for-3 with 2 RBIs.

Catawba Ridge came back from an opening game loss to defeat North Myrtle Beach twice to win the SCHSL 4A baseball state championship

The Chiefs briefly reclaimed the lead in the top of the third with the help of two Catawba Ridge errors.

Catawba Ridge went back ahead for good in the bottom of third on RBI singles by Britton Nash and Jackson Mullen.

The Copperheads (25-7) scored three runs in the fourth off reliever Sawyer Smith to take a commanding lead. Nash had a sacrifice fly and Helms produced a run-scoring single.

North Myrtle Beach (28-7) was also seeking its first state championship and the Chiefs won Game 1 5-3 as Roupe smashed a three-run homer and Austin Long pitched a four-hitter.

McCoy’s three-run homer erased most of a 4-0 Chiefs’ lead.

Chance Hall’s base-running helped North Myrtle Beach add an insurance run. Hall stole second and came all the way home on two throwing errors.

Peyton Diehn pitched a six-hitter over five innings as Catawba Ridge evened the series with a 4-1 win in Game 2. Jonathan Barstow’s two-run double gave the Copperheads all the offense they needed.

Caden Glauber finished up to get the save.

Doubles by Hall and C.J. Oxendine in the first inning yielded North Myrtle Beach's only run.