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Walthour hit powers Mustangs past Rebels
Mustangs
The Mustangs celebrate in the dugout late in Wednesday's game against the Rebels. - photo by Mark Lastinger/staff

GUYTON -- Hunter Walthour's fourth hit of the game, a sixth-inning, two-out single, drove in Kaleb Johnson with the tiebreaking run to give South Effingham a 7-6 victory over visiting Effingham County on Wednesday night.

It was the Mustangs' 13th win in their last 14 games and raised their record to 19-6 overall, 10-4 in Region 2-AAAAAA and clinched SEHS a spot in the Class AAAAAA state baseball tournament.

Walthour finished the night 4-for-4 with 3 RBIs. Johnson had three hits and Nick Milbrandt had two hits and drove in two runs.

It was another tough loss for the ECHS (13-11, 6-8). The Rebels lost the opener of the three-game set 2-0 on Monday. ECHS has lost its last three games by a total of four runs.

Momentum shifted sides throughout Wednesday for the packed crowd. SEHS grabbed a 6-2 lead with a four-run fifth inning only to see the Rebels answer with four in the top of the sixth. Zach Garcia knotted the game with a bases-loaded single with two out but Johnson kept the game tied by throwing out the potential go-ahead run at the plate to end the inning.

With one out in the bottom of the inning, Johnson singled and moved to second on Phillip Cooper's single, setting stage for Walthour.

Earlier in the game, SEHS' Shane Chapman tied the school record with his 21st stolen base.

ECHS finished with 14 hits. Trent Newberry had three hits. JD Coleman had two hits and two RBIs. Garcia and Griffen Howe each had two hits and an RBI.