The Berkeley Stags finally overcame Mother Nature and a determined Catawba Ridge squad, defeating the Copperheads 9-4 in Game 2 on Saturday to sweep the series and claim the Class AAAAA Division I State Baseball Championship. The decisive victory, coming after numerous weather-related reschedules and delays, capped a dominant performance by the Stags, who took Game 1 earlier in the week in dramatic fashion. Game 2 saw Berkeley’s offense come alive, securing the nine runs needed to seal the title.
Berkeley had set the tone for the series in Game 1, emerging with a hard-fought 2-1 victory in 10 innings. That contest, also marred by weather, saw the Stags capitalize on a wild pitch in extra innings to secure the walk-off win. Catawba Ridge’s undoing in that game came from two walks and an error in the 10th inning, ultimately leading to the winning run.
The defeat dropped Catawba Ridge’s overall record to 23-10-1 for the season. For Berkeley, the sweep marks a triumphant end to a challenging season, culminating in the program’s first Class AAAAA Division I state baseball title.
