T.L. Hanna High School entered the Class 5A Division 2 baseball championship as the No. 10 seed from Region 1-5A, having fought through seven straight victories to earn a spot in the state finals for the third time in program history.
The final showdown against Chapin High School unfolded at a packed field in South Carolina, where the underdog Yellow Jackets built an early 2-0 lead thanks to a sacrifice fly by Tatum Manning and an RBI single from Brayden Stuart.
Key Performances
Chapin’s senior standout Felix Flecha Ruiz stole the spotlight with two towering home runs that swung momentum in his team’s favor, while Connor Brooks took the mound for T.L. Hanna and surrendered four earned runs over six innings, scattering eight hits and two walks.
Reece Oakley added an RBI single to the Yellow Jackets’ rally, but despite the effort the team fell 4-3, leaving the scoreboard tight until the final out.
The loss capped a remarkable run for T.L. Hanna, whose seven-game winning streak had lifted the school’s profile and underscored the depth of talent on the roster, featuring players such as Felix Flecha Ruiz, Connor Brooks, Tatum Manning, Brayden Stuart and Reece Oakley.
Chapin High School, represented by its athletic department at chapinhighschool.org, celebrated the championship, while T.L. Hanna’s own website, tlhanna.org, reflected on a season that will be remembered for its perseverance and near-miss at the title.