LOUISBURG -- Learning to excel in tight games is a necessity this time of the year in Region X baseball circles -- and it's a skill the Louisburg College Hurricanes are starting to master.

With third place in the league at stake, LC was able to deliver a pair of close wins last Saturday over the University of South Carolina-Sumter at Frazier Field in the final region series of the regular season.

Scores were 4-3 in the twinbill opener and 7-6 in the extra innings in the finale as Coach Blake Herring's Hurricanes improved to 21-17 overall and 12-8 in Region X competition.

In the first game, LC rode a strong pitching performance from sophomore ace Tucker Rogers, who scattered seven hits as part of a complete-game effort.

Designated hitter Charles Lee was 2-for-3 with one double and three RBI to spark the Hurricanes' offensive attack.

The final game would prove to be a thriller as LC reliever Nick Mandragona bailed out the Hurricanes' staff with 7.1 solid innings, allowing just one run.

Phillip Boykin homered twice for Louisburg, and the score was even at 5-5 after seven regulation innings.

The Fire Ants scored once in the top of the ninth, but LC answered in the bottom of the frame as Justin Oakley led off with a double.

Darius Nobles then ripped a two-run, walk-off longball that sealed the emotional victory -- and third place in the region -- for the Hurricanes.

"Our goal coming into the (doubleheader) was to get third place wrapped up,'' Herring said. "We played a little tight in the first game, but Tucker helped us out with a good outing.

"We seemed more at ease in the second game and we played better under pressure. We didn't panic when the game went into extra innings.''

LC will host Pitt CC (Tuesday, April 23rd) and travel to Pitt CC (Wednesday, April 24th) this week before wrapping up the regular season with non-region games against Brunswick CC and Lenoir CC.