Mount Pleasant beats Goose Creek, forces second game

CHARLESTON - The Goose Creek 10U All-stars were undefeated in the Cal Ripken Youth Baseball State Tournament heading into the championship round, needing to win only once to take the title.

But the Mount Pleasant All-stars, fresh off a win against West Ashley, was good enough to squeek by with a 3-2 win, and force a second game in the double elimination tournament.

Goose Creek was the first on the board, scoring a run in the top of the second inning. But Mount Pleasant came back and answered with 3 runs and took the lead in the bottom of the third.

Three runs were all Mount Pleasant needed as the team held Goose Creek to only 1 more run the rest of the game. Goose Creek scored that run in the fifth off an RBI double, that the team tried to turn into a triple, but Mount Pleasant threw the runner out at third, ending the threat.

Solid relief pitching in the sixth earned Austin Flanders a save, John Vardzel went five innings and got the win for Mount Pleasant.

The teams will face off again 7 p.m. Tuesday at St. Andrews Parks.