YOUTH BASEBALL: Waynesboro team headed to states

Waynesboro’s Cal Ripken League 12-and-under team is heading to the state tournament thanks to an 11-9 win over South Augusta.

It came with drama, however.

With a three-run lead heading into the bottom of the sixth inning, South Augusta rallied and Colter Bennett — in his only at-bat of the game — slapped a solo home run over the fence to tie it at 9. Bennett’s heroics were set up by Tyler Morris’ inside-the-park, two-run homer a batter earlier.

But Waynesboro would recover, with David Turner pushing a single through the infield and advancing to second on a throwing error. Ben Hackley followed with a single, and both runners advanced on another bad throw.

Waynesboro got two runs off a wild pitch and Hackley — who replaced Waynesboro starter Quasean Napier with one out in the sixth — got a 1-2-3 inning to secure the win.

Waynesboro plays Thursday at noon in Lakeside. South Augusta is not out of the running yet, but when they play next was not available.