Clinton downs Central for district championship
Clinton’s Tanner Finley (18) avoids the tag at home plate as he scores during the Red Devils’ district championship victory over Central Monday.
Clinton won its second district championship in as many years Monday with a 5-3 victory over visiting Central to claim the Class 2A Upper State District 2 title.
Starter Jaydon Glenn combined with relievers Tanner Finley and Isaac Cain to hold down Central. Glenn, who left with a 3-2 lead after three innings, picked up the win, and Cain pitched the final 1 2/3 innings for the save.
Cain induced an inning-ending double play with the go-ahead run at the plate in the sixth, and another double play with the tying run at the plate to end a Central threat in the seventh.
“Tonight, it was our pitching and our defense,” said Clinton head coach Peyton Spangler. “I don’t think any of our guys on the mound had their absolute best stuff, but they completed, which is all we ask. We tell them to give the defense a chance, and that’s what they did. Our defense was ready and stepped up, for sure.”
With the win, the Red Devils advance to the Upper State round of the postseason beginning Thursday at home against District 1 champion York Prep. York swept a doubleheader Monday at Chesnee with 7-0 and 7-2 wins.
Clinton’s win over Central was far different than the rain-shortened 10-1 shellacking the Red Devils began the playoffs with in Pageland.
Clinton pitcher Jaydon Glenn makes a pick-off move to first base during the Red Devils’ 5-3 playoff win over Central Monday.
The Eagles (17-11) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first, but the Red Devils tied the score at 2-2 in the bottom of the inning. Clinton loaded the bases, and Glenn scored from third on William Addison’s sacrifice fly to left field.
The Red Devils (25-3) loaded the bases again in the third, and Tanner Finley scored on Angel Vargas’ sacrifice bunt to put Clinton ahead 3-2. Logan Johnson then drew a bases-loaded walk to score Vargas from third and put the Red Devils ahead 4-2.
Central cut the lead in the 4-3 in the fourth on Lawson Hicks’ RBI single, but Clinton got the insurance run it needed on an aggressive play on the base paths.
Batting ninth, Johnson, who went 1-for-2 with 2 RBI, hit a single to right field and Owen Glenn scored from first base for a 5-3 advantage.
Vargas was also 1-for-2 at the plate with a stolen base and 2 RBI. Luke Young went 2-for-4 with a double.
The Red Devils advanced to last year’s Upper State semifinals but were swept in two games by Batesburg-Leesville and Mid-Carolina.
“This is exactly where we want to be, but, at the same time, we made it to this exact point last year and then went 0-2 in the Upper State round,” Spangler said. “So, we’re pumped. We’re going to celebrate tonight and then tomorrow we’ll get back to work because we know the feeling we had last year, and we don’t want to end the year with that feeling again.”
