Raiders, Red Devils advance in baseball playoffs

Laurens advanced to the Class 4A District B baseball finals Thursday night with a 7-3 win over visiting Blue Ridge.

With the victory, the Raiders (19-11) will play at Daniel Saturday in the finals. Daniel defeated LDHS 3-2 Tuesday night, forcing the Raiders into the elimination bracket.

Blue Ridge, who lost to Daniel Monday, was eliminated from the playoffs.

Against the Tigers, LDHS jumped out to a 3-0 lead after three innings, but Blue Ridge tied the game with three runs in the fourth.

The Raiders answered with four runs in the fifth that proved to more than enough for the win.

“Our guys have been here before, and we don’t panic when those things happen,” said LDHS head coach Tori Patterson.

The Raiders loaded the bases with no outs in the fourth and plated the four runs.

Ben Willis, Zay Pulley, Coleman Coker and Avery Madden had two hits apiece for the Raiders. Pulley hit a solo home run in the third.

Willis pitched three scoreless innings to start the game before being relieved by Tristan Buzbee, who gave up a homer on his first pitch in the fourth, the first of three earned runs scored by the Tigers.

But Buzbee settled down with three scoreless innings to end the game, striking out three and walking one.

Patterson said freshman Noah Hughes will get the start Saturday at Daniel. If LDHS wins Saturday, the district playoff will extend for an elimination game Monday.

 

Red Devils down Eagles, 14-5

The Clinton baseball team put itself in the driver’s seat in the Class 2A District 1 playoffs with a 14-5 win over top-seeded Chesnee Thursday.

Chesnee will host Central Saturday in an elimination game.

The Eagles defeated Central 9-2 Tuesday.

Clinton catcher Luke Young went 3-for-4 and drove in four runs. His day at the plate included a two-run home run in the third inning. Owen Glenn added a solo homer while winning pitcher Jaydon Glenn, Talan Campbell and William Addison had two hits apiece and drove in two runs each for the Red Devils (20-6).

The Red Devils pounded out 13 hits altogether.

Clinton is to play the Chesnee-Central winner Monday for the district championship. The Red Devils will have to be beaten twice to be eliminated, but will advance to the Class 2A Upper State semifinals with a win.

All Saints Day: Calhoun County eliminates Thornwell

In a battle of Saints, Calhoun County downed Thornwell 15-3 in the Class 1A District 3 playoffs.

The loss eliminates Thornwell, which was limited to three hits and were hampered by four errors, from the postseason.

Calhoun County’s Christopher Glover went 3-for-3 with a home run and drove in seven runs.

Thornwell’s Zach Crowe had all three Thornwell hits.

Thornwell ends the season with a 7-15 record.

Raiders top Devildogs, 5-4

The Laurens softball team stayed alive in the Class 4A with a 5-4 road victory over Travelers Rest.

LDHS jumped out to a 4-0 lead thanks to a three-run third inning. LDHS (10-12) scored its five runs on six hits and were helped by two Travelers Rest errors. Makayden Livingston went 2-for-3 at the plate. Carly Edwards scored two runs.

Pitcher Savannah Nations scattered nine hits and gave up three earned runs. She struck out two and walked none.

The loss eliminated Travelers Rest from the playoffs.

LDHS will play the loser of Thursday’s game between York and Seneca on the road Saturday.

Tigers eliminate Raiders

The Laurens boys soccer team fell out of the Class 4A playoffs with a 2-0 opening-round loss to Southside Wednesday.

LDHS was the No. 15 seed in the Upper State and Southside is the No. 2 seed. The Tigers will face Fountain Inn Saturday in the second round.

Red Devils to face Landrum

The Clinton softball team opened the Class 2A District 4 playoffs with a 10-1 loss to Ninety Six Wednesday.

Now the Red Devils will host Landrum Friday in an elimination game.