North Myrtle Beach falls in final game of 4A baseball state championship series

HARTSVILLE | The Chiefs needed just one more win to complete a dream season.

Catawba Ridge had other plans.

North Myrtle Beach dropped game three of the 4A baseball state finals on Friday, losing in the finals series that they once held a 1-0 advantage in.

After winning game one on Monday, the Chiefs dropped a pair of games to finish their season, including Friday’s 7-3 loss to the Copperheads.

The Chiefs opened up the night with a 2-0 lead after a Luke Roupe two-run home run in the top of the first inning. But from there, the Catawba Ridge bats got hot and helped the team complete the comeback series win to earn the 4A title.

“We have to hang our hats on what we did achieve this year, and not what we didn’t achieve,” North Myrtle Beach coach Brian Alderson said after the loss. “I told them that it’s going to take them a day or two… but I promised them that in three or four days, they will bounce back. Then they’ll be able to sit back and let everything we did this year sink in.”

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Roupe’s first-inning home run seemed to be the start North Myrtle Beach needed to earn its first-ever school baseball state title. However when Catawba Ridge scored a pair of runs to tie the game in the bottom of the second, the momentum switch was officially flipped.

The Copperheads recovered against Chiefs starter Josh Surigao and put up another two runs in the third inning, notching their first lead of the night and chasing Surigao after three innings of work.

Catawba Ridge head coach Stas Swerdzewski said the team’s answer after Roupe’s two-run home run was one of the highlights he discussed with his group after the game.

“It’s always important to answer back. After Roupe hit the home run, it was key that our guys realized that it was a long game and we just needed to chip away,” Swerdzewski said. “I think we did a pretty good job of just not letting them get too much momentum. We got that momentum back in our dugout.”

After the Copperheads secured the lead, the game was turned over to a dominant performance from Catawba Ridge starter Jake McCoy.

McCoy ultimately turned in six championship-level innings of work on the mound, surrendering just one run over his last five innings.

“Jake has been doing that all year for us,” Swerdzewski said, noting McCoy’s ability to mix his fastball and breaking ball over his six innings of work. “He’s got a great arm and he knows how to pitch.”

For Alderson, he reflected after a lengthy post-game speech to his team in left field with a sense of appreciation for this year’s run.

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This was the most successful season a baseball team at North Myrtle Beach has ever put together.

That fact wasn’t lost on the Chiefs head coach, even after the loss.

“I’m extremely proud of this team,” Alderson said. “They showed up every single day. Whenever we were allowed to workout, they were there. They never missed workouts and they never cut corners. They did it the old-fashioned way, with hard work and determination.

“They are a fun group to be around. I think everybody at North Myrtle Beach will remember this team for a long time.”

The Chiefs will graduate six seniors, four who were in Friday’s game three starting lineup. That group includes leadoff hitter Chance Hall, second baseman Israel May, third baseman Allen McCormick and right fielder Chase Sturgeon.

Still, Alderson is optimistic.

He’ll return his top pitchers and plenty of talent on the offensive side.

Though Alderson admits the loss will take a few days to process, there’s still a bright outlook for his Chiefs program.

“From day one in the summer, the goal is going to be to get right back here again,” the coach said. “They’re going to be motivated to work and our young group is going to be good.”