Berkeley downs Catawba Ridge 9-4, grabs 5A/Division 2 baseball title

Catawba Ridge’s baseball team came up second-best in the state this season.

The Copperheads saw their state championship hopes end Saturday night with a 9-4 loss to visiting Berkeley in the Class 5A/Division 2 title series.

The Stags, from Moncks Corner outside Charleston, swept the series in two games.

The loss also ended Catawba Ridge’s hopes of sweeping the state baseball and softball titles. The Copperheads’ softball team captured the 5A/Division 2 championship Thursday.

In Game 1 of the baseball series, Catawba Ridge battled Berkeley to a scoreless draw through 9 1/2 innings before losing 1-0 It was a different story Saturday night.

The Stags scored two runs in the second inning, one in the third, five in the fourth, and one more in the fifth. Catawba Ridge never led in the game.

Errors didn’t help the Copperheads (23-11). A fielding miscue helped Berkeley score its second-inning run, and three errors were a part of the Stags’ big fourth inning.

Catawba Ridge starting pitcher Bryce Meil was tagged for nine runs, but only four were earned.

The Copperheads scored in the third inning when Jack Shelnutt raced home on a passed ball. They got two more in the fifth on a two-run single by Meil. And Tyler Causey homered in the bottom of the seventh, giving the home crowd something to cheer about.

Catawba Ridge ran into a team that got hot at the end of the season.

Berkeley was 13-10 after an April 23 loss to Stratford, but the Stags won their final nine games.

Catawba Ridge had won 12 of 13 entering the state finals.

Scores

CLASS 5A / DIVISION 1

Lexington vs. James Island

Game 1: James Island 5, Lexington 4

Game 2: Lexington 9, James Island 4

Game 3: James Island 6, Leaxington 5 (8 innings)

CLASS 5A / DIVISION 2

Catawba Ridge vs. Berkeley

Game 1: Berkeley 2, Catawba Ridge 1 (10)

Game 2: Berkeley 9, Catawba Ridge 4

CLASS 4A

Airport vs. Seneca

Game 1: Airport 4, Seneca 3

Game 2: Airport 10, Seneca 0

CLASS 3A

Southside Christian vs. Oceanside Collegiate

Game 1: Southside Christian 14, Oceanside Collegiate 1

Game 2: Southside Christian 3, Oceanside Collegiate 0

CLASS 2A

Batesburg-Leesville vs. Philip Simmons

Game 1: Philip Simmons 6, Batesburg-Leesville 3

Game 2: Batesburg-Leesville 3, Philip Simmons 2

Game 3: Batesburg-Leesville 8, Philip Simmons 5

CLASS 1A

McBee vs. Lake View

Game 1: McBee 5, Lake View 3

Game 2: Lake View 6, McBee 1

Game 3: McBee 8, Lake View 1

This story was originally published May 31, 2025 at 11:16 PM.