Friday playoff roundup: Eagles upend Red Devils; Clinton’s Mims wins state title
Clinton catcher Lila Kuykendall throws out Chesnee’s Faith Wall on a sacrifice bunt in the fifth inning of the Friday night’s Class 2A playoff game. Chesnee held off the Red Devils, 5-4.
Visiting Chesnee held off a late Clinton rally Friday for a 5-4 victory that sent the Red Devils to an elimination game in the Class 2A Upper State round of the playoffs.
With the loss, Clinton (19-6) will play at Ninety Six Monday in the elimination bracket. Ninety Six (14-6) lost 6-0 to Saluda Friday. Chesnee will face Saluda (25-3) Monday.
Chesnee (21-7) jumped out to a 5-0 lead through 3 1/2 innings, but the Red Devils charged back behind to cut the lead to 5-4 on Addie Watkins’ two-run home run in the sixth inning.
The Red Devils loaded the bases in the seventh, but were unable to push a run across as Chesnee relief pitcher Tayte Calvert struck out the side with the bases full.
Clinton also loaded the bases in the fifth after Watkins double to lead off the inning, but only added one run on Sierra Templeton’s RBI walk that scored Watkins and cut Chesnee’s lead to 5-2.
“Kudos to their pitchers. They executed when all the chips were on the table,” said Clinton head coach Joe Terry. “We get one hit, and we’re coming out of here happy instead of upset. You have to give a lot of credit to their pitchers at that point. They did what it took to get us out. We’ve been hitting it really well for the past three weeks, and we needed it tonight. We just came up a little bit short.”
Clinton pitcher Me-Me Smith.
The Red Devils out-hit the Eagles 10-8. Me-Me Smith, who has been the workhorse in the circle during Clinton’s playoff run, pitched a complete game, allowing eight hits while walking to and striking out five.
Smith was noticeably limping throughout the game, and Terry said that was due to a culmination of innings and pitches for the senior.
“That’s just the grind of getting to his point of the season and being the pitcher she knows she’s got to be for us,” Terry said.
Seven of Chesnee’s base hits and four of their runs came from the top three hitters in Eagles’ batting order – Claire Owens, Jada Sellers and Bixley Koon.
Watkins went 2-for-3 with the two-run homer and a double, and lead-off hitter Halleigh Luke went 2-for-4.
In addition to the Red Devils’ struggles at the plate with runners in scoring position, the defense got off to a shaky start with three early errors.
“I told (the players) that when you get to this late in the season, one or two plays are going to be the difference,” Terry said.
Clinton sophomore Samari Mims atop the podium Friday at Richland Northeast. (Facebook photo)
Clinton’s Mims wins state title in high jump
Clinton sophomore Samari Mims won the Class 2A state championship in the girls high jump Friday at the 2A State Championship meet Friday at Richland Northeast in Columbia.
Mims set a new school record with a jump of 1.7 meters. Lake Marion’s Jordyn Coulter, also a sophomore, finished second with a jump of 1.65 meters. Mims also finished sixth in the long jump.
Senior speedster Javen Cook finished second in the 100m dash with a time of 10.97 seconds. Pelion’s Johnathan Davis won the state title in 10.84 seconds.
Cook was also part of the Red Devils’ 4x100m relay team that took third place in 42.43 seconds. Manning won the event in 42 seconds flat.
Clinton girls sprint standout Nahshia Wright finished fourth in the 100m in 12.56 seconds.
Red Devils head to Batesburg-Leesville
Clinton baseball is set to play in the winners’ bracket of the Class 2A Upper State baseball playoffs at 6 p.m. Saturday at Batesburg-Leesville.
