Laurens Majors suffer first loss

The Laurens Majors Little League All-Star baseball team will have to win three games in three days if it hopes to win a state championship.

Laurens held a 4-1 lead through the first inning before Northwood rallied with the final seven runs – including a five-run fourth inning – as it handed Laurens an 8-4 loss in Summerville Monday night. As a result Laurens was slated to face Irmo Tuesday night in an elimination game, starting at 7 p.m.

If Laurens wins the game, it will then face Northwood in a rematch Wednesday night. Laurens would have to win that game to force a winner-take-all contest Thursday night for the state title and a trip to the regionals in Warner Robins, Georgia.

Buster Harris hit a grand slam for Laurens in the bottom of the first to put his team in front, 4-1, but Laurens was held to four hits in the remaining five innings. Laurens tried to build a rally in the bottom of the sixth with a pair of singles to open the frame, but the next three batters all struck out to end the game.