Clinton, Laurens continue playoff pushes with wins
The Clinton and Laurens baseball teams both moved closer to Upper State championships with home victories Saturday.
LDHS won the Class 4A District 1 title with a 5-2 victory over rival Greenwood, beating the Eagles for the second time in the district round.
Earlier, Clinton downed Seneca 6-3 to remain unbeaten in the Class 3A Upper State round.
Clinton is a victory away from the Upper State championship. The Red Devils will host the winner of Monday’s elimination bracket game between Seneca and Belton-Honea Path on Wednesday. Clinton must be beaten twice in order to be eliminated from the playoffs.
LDHS is set to travel to District 2 champion Catawba Ridge at 7 p.m. Tuesday to begin a best-of-three series for the Class 4A Upper State championship. The Raiders are making their first Upper State championship appearance since 1991. LDHS won a state title that year.
Clinton 6, Seneca 3
Clinton starter Carson Glenn picked up his second playoff victory this week.
Starting pitcher Carson Glenn picked up his second playoff victory this week, scattering four hits, walking two and striking out three in 4 1/3 innings of work.
Glenn was pulled with a 5-1 lead in the fifth after 71 pitches, and Justin Copeland survived a bumpy start in relief to pick up his second save in as many games.
The Red Devils (22-3) led start to finish, getting two runs in the first inning on a one-out RBI double from Wilson Wages and an RBI single from Copeland that scored Wages.
Seneca manufactured a run in the fourth to cut the Clinton lead to 2-1, but the Red Devils answered with three runs in the fourth on a bases-clearing double by Wil Stewart, who went 2-for-4 with 3 RBI. Copeland also collected two hits, going 2-for-3 with run driven in.
LDHS 5, Greenwood 1
LDHS starter Josh Hughes pitched a complete-game four-hitter to lift the Raiders to the Upper State Championship round.
Junior right-hander Josh Hughes pitched a complete game four-hit gem, holding Greenwood to a single run to lead the Raiders into the Class 4A Upper State championship.
Hughes struck out five and walked none as the Raiders (18-9-1) gave him a quick 3-0 cushion over the first two innings. Jackson Martin hit a run-scoring triple in the first to score Zay Pulley, who had reached on a dropped third strike.
Jaedon Goodwin also led off the fourth with a solo homer directly over the Ed Prescott Field sign in center field.
Hunter Nabors went 2-for-3 with a stolen base, a run scored and an RBI. Goodwin went 1-for-2.
