Red Devils rain on Armada in Game 1 of state title tilt

Game 2 postponed, set for 3 p.m. Friday at Clinton

The rain-delayed Class 2A baseball state championship series got underway Tuesday with Clinton taking the lead in the best-of-three series with a 5-1 victory over Lower State champion Atlantic Collegiate at the Ripken Experience baseball complex in Myrtle Beach.

Clinton junior Camden Finley out-dueled Atlantic left-hander Eli Chowning, a College of Charleston commit, with a two-hitter that included eight strikeouts, five walks and a hit batter over six innings. Isaac Cain got the final three outs with a walk and a strikeout to end the game.

Finley’s allowed the Armada’s only run in the first inning, but the Red Devils answered quickly.

Logan Johnson, an eighth-grader batting ninth for Clinton, hit a two-out, two-run single to hand Finley all the runs he needed. William Addison led off the inning with a single and Angel Vargas followed with a single. Graydon Watkins’ sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position for Johnson.

Leading 2-1 in the fifth, Finley led off with a homer to straightaway center to extend the Red Devils’ lead to 3-1.

Chowning gave up eight hits, struck out five and walked five in the complete game loss.

Clinton (30-3) extended that lead to 5-1 on Owen Glenn’s inside-the-park home run in the sixth. Addison, who went 3-for-3 on the day, led off with a double to right center. Glenn came to the plate with two outs and hit a flare down the right field line that landed fair as two Atlantic players collided while in pursuit.

Addison scored from third, and Glenn, who had been sprinting from the crack of the bat, scored as the ball rolled into the right-field corner.

“(Chowning) is unbelievable, but (that at-bat) was Owen taking pride in what we do – running hard to first base on the pop up. If he doesn’t do that, who knows what happens,” said Clinton head coach Peyton Spangler. “It’s the little things, and I take pride in a guy believing in what we do.”

Game 1 of the series was moved to Myrtle Beach, home of the Armada (29-4), after postponements Saturday and Monday due to rain. Game 2 is scheduled for Wednesday (May 27) at Clinton, but heavy rains Tuesday evening could mean that game is postponed as well.

A decision on whether Game 2 will be played or postponed is expected early Wednesday.

“Whoever handles this weather situation the best will probably have the advantage,” Spangler said.

If necessary, Game 3 is scheduled for Saturday at Lugoff-Elgin, but now both teams are fighting Mother Nature to get to Game 2, which has been rescheduled for 3 p.m. Friday at Clinton. Poor field conditions caused by heavy rains in Clinton caused Game 2 to be moved from Wednesday.

“We know we’ve got a big task had hand,” said Spangler. “We’ve got to regroup, refocus, and it’s going to take a lot of guts.”