Forest Acres Classic Delivers Baseball Drama as T.C. Roberson Survives Thriller to Claim Title

For nearly 20 years, South Carolina high school baseball coaches have taken their players to Falcon Field at A.C. Flora High School as an alternative towards them settling into full vacation mode.

A Spring Break Classic in Columbia Since 2008

Starting in 2005, the Forest Acres Classic was moved to spring break three years later. Since then, it has provided high level varsity baseball in the Southeast Columbia area during a period of high school inactivity.

A total of five schools - White Knoll (2010), A.C. Flora (2013), Sumter (2014), River Bluff (2023) and Miller College (2025) – have claimed state titles after going through four days of playoff-like competition against schools from both inside and outside the Palmetto State.

“Eight really well-coached teams,” said head coach Erik Filipek of newly-crowned FAC champion T.C. Roberson. “I can’t remember a tournament I’ve been in that was so closely contested. Came down to the last inning and pitch. So many games. It was an incredible experience for our guys and I’m sure every team in this thing is taking away the same thing.

“It’s a growth process and I can’t imagine any of the eight teams in this thing didn’t walk away from this feeling better about their team moving forward and the growth that went along the way.”

Rams hold off Indians in Final

The 3-time defending Class 4A champions out of Asheville, N.C. outlasted Indian Land, 6-5, in Thursday’s championship game.

Brooks Hemphill put T.C. Roberson up 2-0 in the first inning with a 2-run homer in the second inning. It was the 16th home run of the tournament.

Radford, baseball, Forest Acres — T.C. Roberson's Kaegan Radford with Charles Letner Award presented by A.C. Flora head coach Andy Hallet | Forest Acres Classic

A wild pitch scored another run to make it 3-0. After an RBI single by Jackson Carroll put Indian Land on the board in the Bottom 2nd, the Rams scored two more runs in the Top 3rd to go up 5-1.

A 2-run single by Liam Roberson brought the Warriors within 5-3 in the Bottom 3rd. A Chappy Smith RBI double in the Top 6th provided a valuable insurance run for T.C. Roberson.

Indian Land got within a run in the Bottom 7th and one out. Joseph Rutledge was tagged out trying to steal second base and Roberson flied out to centerfield to end the game.

It was the 10th contest at the FAC decided by one run and third straight involving the Rams.

Winning pitcher Cooper Friedholm went the distance for T.C. Roberson. In an uncharacteristic move by Filipek, he allowed Friedholm to throw 108 pitches in seven innings.

“If we don’t have people like Cooper who go out there and throw (108) pitches, I really can’t win this (The Charles Fetner Award for Most Outstanding Player),” Kaegan Radford said. “This one’s for the team and we all came together in the end. We’re a family.”

Road to the Finals

After defeating Dorman 10-6 on Day One, the Rams defeated Airport 5-4 as Radford went 3-4 with two RBI and a home run.

On Day Three, a late comeback by T.C. Roberson fell short in a 6-5 loss to River Bluff. Despite the loss, the Rams still placed first in Bracket B after winning the tiebreaker with Dorman.

Indian Land, baseball, Forest Acres — A.C. Flora head coach Andy Hallet and Indian Land All-Tournament selection Liam Roberson | Forest Acres Classic

Indian Land had a similar path to the title game out of Bracket A. It defeated 2-time defending tournament champion Miller School (Charlottesville, Va.) 1-0 as starter Liam Roberson struck out four in five shutout innings and Aaron Eberhardt followed in relief with two perfect innings.

The lone run came on a solo home run by Joseph Rutledge in the fourth inning. It was the first of 16 home runs hit by the eight tournament teams.

On Day Two, the Warriors led Lexington 10-4 going into the Bottom 7th. The Wildcats rallied with seven runs, starting with a solo shot by Allen Hegler and ended by a walkoff 3-run homer by Cross George in the 11-10 comeback victory.

Indian Land rebounded with a dramatic 5-4 win over the host team Falcons. After A.C. Flora’s Dylan Hernandez tied the game with a 2-out RBI single in the Top 7th, Johnny Compton scored the game-winning run on an outfield error.

'A really Good Tournament'

Despite the loss, Warriors’ head coach Hal Bagwell came away with a more optimistic view of his team.

“For us to get battle-tested like that in four games down here is a testament to (A.C. Flora head coach Adam Hallet) and what they’re doing and putting this together,” he said. “We accomplished exactly what we wanted to down here. We got better as a club.”

Similar sentiments were expressed by the other tournament coaches.

“It’s been a really good tournament,” Dorman head coach Jack Jolly said. “First class. I thank Andy and the committee for inviting us and, hopefully, this is going to propel to have a good end of the season.”

“Playing good people in playoff atmosphere helps you for those moments in May,” said River Bluff head coach Mark Bonnette, who’s won eight FAC tournaments in his career. “So, playing against good opponents with a good atmosphere, good crowd, tight games, I think we’ll handle it better the next time. That’s the hope as a coach is that the more you’re in those situations, your guys can relax and play. Hopefully, that’s what we’ll get from this.”

“These teams that we play here, it kind of exposes you,” Airport head coach Craig Bradwell said. “That’s the good thing about this thing. It exposes you and shows you where you’re lacking and if you don’t play your best ball, you lose and it’s exactly like that in the playoffs.

“I can’t thank Andy enough for letting us come over every single year, just get to compete against the best in the state and out of the state.”

“I’m proud the way we competed this week and look forward to seeing how this continues to grow,” Lexington head coach Brian Hucks said.

FOREST ACRES CLASSIC RESULTS

April 6 scores

Indian Land 1, Miller School 0

T.C. Roberson 10, Dorman 6

Airport 9, River Bluff 8

A.C. Flora 5, Lexington 4

April 7 Scores

Lexington 11, Indian Land 10

T.C. Roberson 5, Airport 4

Miller School 6, A.C. Flora 4

Dorman 7, River Bluff 6

April 8 Scores

Miller School 4, Lexington 3

River Bluff 6, T.C. Roberson 5

Dorman 12, Airport 2

Indian Land 5, A.C. Flora 4

April 9 Scores

Dorman 6, Miller School 4 (3rd place)

T.C. Roberson 6, Indian Land 5 (Championship)