“My heart was pumping so hard out there that I couldn’t breathe,” said Florence.

But 10 minutes after the game, Florence, who drove in a huge ninth-inning run was still inhaling and exhaling. So was the Kannapolis team, which somehow survived a heart-pumping, waiting-to-exhale, second-round playoff series with favored Lexington. Kannapolis, the No. 9 seed, held on 7-6 on Friday night to win the decisive fifth game and end No. 8 Lexington’s season.

Kannapolis’ reward is a series, beginning Tuesday, with top-seeded Eastern Randolph, which just sandblasted Sandhills in three straight games. Kannapolis won’t be expected to win a game in that series. But then again, most didn’t expect coach Joe Hubbard’s team to win a game against Lexington, either.

Both Kannapolis and Lexington entered the playoffs with 12-8 league records, but rarely have two teams with identical records been regarded so differently.

Lexington entered the postseason on a long winning streak that included two wins over Rowan County. Tom McCarthy’s team had all the confidence in the world and had gotten everyone’s attention.

Kannapolis?

No one knew quite what to expect from a team that gave up 18 runs to South Rowan not long ago — a team that was skinned alive 21-0 by Rowan County and Daniel Moore right before the playoffs started.

“I don’t think we get much respect,” said Kannapolis outfielder Dusty Carmichael, one of last night’s heroes. “But we were really pumped up for this series. I thought everyone on the team played big.”

It was a mind-boggling game with maybe 10 great defensive plays and maybe 10 huge decisions by Hubbard and McCarthy.

Early on, Lexington’s speed and aggressiveness looked like it would make the difference.

Lexington’s centerfielder Gary Tilley made running catches all over the Holt-Moffitt Field’s strange hills and dales to frustrate Kannapolis hitters. Then Chase Younts and Chris Sotriffer pulled off a double steal for a cheap run. Then Lexington stole another run in the fourth when Scott Wilson casually strolled off first base and Kannapolis took the bait. When Kannapolis chased Wilson, Matt Coleman dashed home from third ahead of pitcher Justin Bonds’ wild throw. Coleman’s run put Lexington in control 5-2.

“We could have tucked our tails and headed back for Kannapolis,” said Hubbard. “But we didn’t. Instead, the kids responded. They just did everything they had to do.”

Kannapolis’ comeback started a few seconds later. Younts hit a shot to right, but when Wilson tried to score for a four-run lead, Carmichael’s strong throw to catcher Zach Gurley cut him down at the plate.

“Anytime you get someone out at the plate, momentum swings,” said Hubbard. “Yeah, Dusty’s throw fired us up.”

Kannapolis tied the game in the sixth with patience and a bunt. Gurley and Chad Tuttle walked to start the inning — the first two men that tiring Lexington starter Younts had walked in the contest.

Next was Bobby Helms. Down three runs, he surprised the world (including Hubbard) by bunting.

“That’s not one I called,” chuckled Hubbard. “Not down three. Bobby was bunting for a hit. Their third baseman (Nick Lockhart) made a great play to get an out, but Bobby moved the runners up.”

Just in time for Carmichael. He sliced a Younts pitch into right field to score two runs. Now, the deficit was only 5-4. Ryan Craft, who had three RBIs, then smacked a double off the left-field bank, tying matters at 5-5.

Meanwhile, Kannapolis’ second pitcher, unheralded sidearmer Adam Russell, was keeping Lexington off the scoreboard.

“Adam gave us some great innings,” said Hubbard.

Kannapolis finally knocked out Younts in the seventh. Two-out singles by Tuttle and Helms got things going. Carmichael, down in the count 0-2 at one point, worked a walk. That brought up Craft with the bases loaded and brought towering (6-7) Zach Snyder in from the Lexington bullpen.

Craft walked on five pitches and Kannapolis had a 6-5 lead.

By all rights, that lead should have grown to three or four runs in the top of the eighth. Florence, Gurley and Tuttle singled to load the bases. Then Helms hit a rocket to left-center that looked certain to score everyone. But Tilley ran that one down, too.

“Tilley was outstanding,” said Hubbard. “This whole series.”

Still, Kannapolis kept coming. Carmichael’s spectacular running catch in the eighth stopped Lexington one more time. Then Florence’s two-out single in the ninth scored Nate Amerson with a big insurance run.

The lead was 7-5. Could Russell hold it?

Not easily.

Wilson creamed the first pitch of the ninth for a hit. Tripp Lockhart walked. Then Younts drilled one in the left-center gap to make it 7-6 and put runners on second and third. Next up was UNC Greensboro-bound Nick Lockhart, one of the state’s most feared hitters. Hubbard ordered an intentional walk.

That loaded the bases with no outs and put all the pressure in the world on Andrew Petty, who jogged to the mound with the game, the series and the season on the line.

Petty fanned pinch-hitter Zach Hartman for the first out.

“That gave us a chance to get out of it,” said Hubbard.

The next hitter, Brent Walser, got ahead in the count 3-0 and Petty was one ball away from extra innings. But then he whistled in a fastball for strike one. He got strike two called on a borderline pitch that every Lexington fan felt was inside. Then came the miracle Hubbard was hoping for. Walser slapped a one-hopper right back to Petty.

Petty gloved the ball, calmly fired home for a force, then watched Gurley throw a strike to first baseman Tuttle for a double play. Russell had a win; Petty had a save; Hubbard had a series.

“I thought we had a chance to win this thing,” said Hubbard. “We’re young, but when these kids play like they can, we’re a good team.”