Foxes foil top seed for Ashley Ridge blowout

SUMMERVILLE — Ashley Ridge earned a 10-2 win over Lexington in the Class AAAA baseball playoffs to move into the driver’s seat for the Lower State championship series.

Austin Livingston went the distance on the mound, allowing only four hits while fanning seven batters and walking only one. At the plate, Ashley Ridge (28-1) managed 10 hits as it handed Lexington (26-3) its third loss of the season.

The Swamp Foxes will host the winner of Wednesday’s White Knoll-Lexington game in the Lower State championship series Friday and need only one win to advance.

“Most of our guys have been here for four year,s and they understand they have a chance to do something special,” Ashley Ridge coach BJ Bellush said. “They have been working for this for a while, and they are zoned in and doing all the little things right to help us win whether it is bunting, base running or defense. We only made one error tonight and just played solid. Also my coaching staff is doing a great job.”

Billy Seigler, Nick Bell, Livingston and Tyler Hamby all had two hits each for Ashley Ridge. With the exception of Hamby, all of them also drove in two runs.

Colin Steagall was 2 for 3 for Lexington with a double and a two-run home run.

Ashley Ridge took a two-run lead in the first inning when Livingston and Furman drove in Lorenzo Wright and Seigler.

Lexington tied the game in the top of the fourth off Steagall’s homer that plated Nick Ciuffo.

Ashley Ridge answered by scoring four runs in the bottom of the frame. Livingston drove in two with a single and Bell and Wright plated the others.

The Swamp Foxes added three runs in the fifth, including two off a double by Seigler. They then added a run in the sixth.

Lexington 000 200 0— 2 4 1
Ashley Ridge 200 431 x—10 11 1

WP—Livingston (10-0). LP—McMillan.