Monte Dutton's Blog

By MONTE DUTTON

Angel Vargas rapped three hits, Owen Glenn homered and singled, and seven different Clinton players drove in runs as the Red Devils clobbered Gaffney, 9-0, on the road Wednesday for their 20th victory of the season.

Clinton (20-2) is 9-1 against baseball teams higher than its 2A classification and has won 11 straight games.

Jaydon Glenn, Isaac Cain and Camden Finley combined to handcuff the Indians on three hits. Glenn picked up the decision. He and Finley each had five strikeouts.

Losing pitcher Seth Phillips did not retire a batter as Clinton scored four runs in the first inning, one in the second and four in the third. Gaffney (6-13) absorbed its sixth consecutive loss.

Owen Glenn led off the second inning with a home run off Gage McDonald on a 2-0 count.

Maddox Gardner had two of Gaffney’s three hits.

Clinton has won its last four games by a combined score of 52-3.

Eau Claire visits Clinton on Friday evening at 6:30.

Emerald (8-14, 5-9) evened its series against Laurens (5-17, 5-6), blanking the Raiders, 4-0, on Wednesday in Greenwood.

Logan Martin and William Nunley each had two of Laurens’ five hits. Martin pitched a complete game in defeat, allowing five hits and four earned runs, walking five and fanning three.

Finn Howard also pitched a complete game for the Vikings, striking out six. Eli Swancey doubled.

The Region 1-4A rivals play again on Friday evening in Laurens, where the Raiders won, 10-0, on Monday.

The Big South Conference is returning to Johnson City, Tenn., as the host for its basketball championships on March 3-7, 2027, at Freedom Hall Civic Center.

This is big news for yours truly as it allows me to shuttle back and forth between Johnson City and Asheville, N.C., where the Southern Conference holds its tournament. I have done this for the past two seasons, and it’s a highlight of my year.

Many thanks to the advertisers who keep wellpilgrim.com going. The site is also supported by reader contributions. If you’re interested, you can make modest monthly payments on my Patreon page or a one-time contribution via Venmo (@DHKSports).

Or, if you’d like to make a contribution by check or cash, my mailing address is: Monte Dutton, P.O. 221, Clinton, S.C.  29325 (hutdut@outlook.com).

It means a lot to me that you enjoy what I write.

Most of my books are available at Amazon . Two of my novels, Cowboys Come Home and Lightning in a Bottle, are available in audio versions.

By MONTE DUTTON

Clinton High hit the capital city like it was changing planes on Tuesday.

The Red Devils took batting practice against Eau Claire, winning for the 11th time in a row with a 15-0, happy-hour annihilation of the Shamrocks.

Led by catcher Luke Young – three at-bats, runs, hits and RBI – Clinton (19-2, 8-1 Region 3-2A) scored three runs in the first inning, six in the second and six in the third.

The first two batters of the game gave Eau Claire (4-7, 2-5) its only hits. J. Benekin singled but was thrown out at third base on K. Craft’s follow-up. Zack Lawson then struck out D Bernard and J Harris.

The gentlemen started their engines.

Shortstop Logan Johnson walked and stole second. Rhett Gilliam singled in Johnson. Camden Finley tripled to center field, scoring Gilliam. Young homered, his 11th. William Addison walked. Angel Vargas tripled. Talan Campbell singled. By the time the festival ended, Clinton led, 9-0.

The Red Devils cranked up the band again in the third. Campbell’s triple to right field, Clinton’s third, drove in three. Owen Glenn’s RBI single gave the Red Devils their 15th run, and the margin held when Vargas arrived on the mound from left field – in relief of Zack Lawson — and retired the Shamrocks in order.

Three Eau Claire pitchers allowed at least a run. Kraft absorbed the loss. Seven of Clinton’s 14 hits went for extra bases.

The Red Devils visit Gaffney on Wednesday (6:30 p.m.), and Eau Claire closes the region season in Clinton on Friday, also at 6:30.

The Red Devils wrapped up another region title in boys’ tennis, defeating Mid-Carolina, 6-0.

# 1 Singles   Matthew King defeated Jacob Bouknight  6 – 3, 6 – 1

# 2 Singles    Edwin Orr defeated Derly Samayoa  6 – 0, 6 – 0

# 3 Singles    Jacob King defeated Alex Bunce  6 – 0, 6 – 0

# 4 Singles    Jake Meyerholtz defeated Will Smith  6 – 0, 6 – 1

# 5 Singles    Cooper Stinson defeated Lyon Abraham 6 – 0, 6 – 0

# 1 Doubles     DID  NOT  PLAY

# 2 Doubles    Malakye Brewer & Ethan Wargo defeated Treyon Jackson & Jackson Oswald  6 – 0, 6 – 0

Clinton (8-1, 4-0 Region 3-2A) takes on Dorman on Wednesday at 5 p.m.

Presbyterian College took on the state’s megapowers on Tuesday with predictable results.

South Carolina (20-22) hammered the PC baseball team, 9-3, and ex-Blue Hose Jake Randolph was one of five Gamecocks to lash a double.

K.J. Scobey, Ethan Lizama and Luke Yuhasz all homered for South Carolina. Matthew Rollison homered for Presbyterian (9-33).

Clemson (31-17) matched hits with runs in a 10-0, five-inning softball victory over Presbyterian (19-28).

Hali Duke, Avery Robinson and Morgan Farthing had the PC hits off the Tigers’ Abby Dunning (W, 7-7) and Lexie Hames. Sarah Breaux and Corri Hicks homered for Clemson.

Many thanks to the advertisers who keep wellpilgrim.com going. The site is also supported by reader contributions. If you’re interested, you can make modest monthly payments on my Patreon page or a one-time contribution via Venmo (@DHKSports).

Or, if you’d like to make a contribution by check or cash, my mailing address is: Monte Dutton, P.O. 221, Clinton, S.C.  29325 (hutdut@outlook.com).

It means a lot to me that you enjoy what I write.

Most of my books are available at Amazon . Two of my novels, Cowboys Come Home and Lightning in a Bottle, are available in audio versions.

By MONTE DUTTON

This wasn’t just another 13-3 runaway. It was, however, a runaway, gradually building and intensifying, executed by the long ball and the crafty bunt, moving runners a base at a time and circling them as if it were a stock-car race.

Southside Christian (12-8-1) brought a quality baseball program to Clinton on Monday night. The Sabres are 8-0 in Region 2-3A. The last time they lost more than eight games in a season was 2019. Southside Christian claimed Class A state titles in 2022, 2023 and 2024. The state’s top pitching prospect, lefthander Carson Bolemon, was safely nestled at first base against the Red Devils.

Clinton (18-2), after giving up a run in the top of the first, just went to work.

In the bottom of the second inning, William Addison led off with a walk. Angel Vargas’s bunt single advanced Addison to third base. Tanner Finley’s bunt scored Addison. With one out, Logan Johnson’s bunt single brought in Vargas.

The Red Devils led, 2-1. As Jerry Lee Lewis never sang, there was a whole lot of bunting going on.

In the third, on a 3-1 count, Luke Young belted his 10th home run of the season to the left-field power alley. Tanner Finley singled in Addison, who had walked again. 4-1.

Rhett Gilliam led off the fourth with a walk, stole second, advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on Camden Finley’s sacrifice fly. Jaydon Glenn singled and scored on Young’s ringing double. 6-1.

Southside Christian scored twice in the fifth, which seemed to awaken vengeance in Clinton, which ended the game with seven runs in the bottom half. The first scored on an error, and the remaining six all scored after two were out. Jaydon Glenn doubled in two. After an intentional walk to Young, Vargas, Tanner Finley and Graydon Watkins all walked unintentionally. A Jacob Wiggs pitch hit Camden Finley. Addison doubled in two more.

Ballgame. Ten-run rule after five. Tenth win in a row.

Tanner Finley earned the win, tossing 4-1/3 innings and giving up four hits, three runs and four walks. He struck out three. Isaac Cain retired two batters, striking out C.J. Aubuchon to end the top of the fifth.

Young went 3/4. He and Jaydon Glenn (2/4), both drove in two runs, as did Addison and Tanner Finley.

Right fielder Kaden Graham collected two of the Sabres’ four hits and scored two of the three runs.

“We got hot and played probably our best game of the year,” said head coach Peyton Spangler. “The scoreboard didn’t reflect how good that team is over there (Southside Christian).”

The Red Devils are to pay Eau Claire (4-6, 2-4) a 6 p.m. visit on Tuesday in Columbia at 6. Clinton is 7-1 in Region 3-2A.

Laurens (5-16, 5-5 Region 1-4A) ended a long swoon with a 10-0 runaway at Ed Prescott Field against Emerald (7-14, 5-9).

Brayden Patterson, Logan Martin and Bryson Redd each had two hits for the Raiders, who posted a run in the first inning, five in the second and two apiece in the fourth and fifth. Laurens stole five bases, two of them by William Nunley.

Noah Hughes went the reduced distance, surrendering four hits and a walk while striking out eight.

Coleson Marino had two hits for the Vikings.

Catcher Caleb Hardy blasted a homer among his four hits as Laurens Academy (9-5) defeated Brashier Middle College, 6-4, on Monday at LA.

In softball, Clinton (13-4) also needed just five innings to take care of Abbeville, 10-0, highlighted by Me-Me Smith’s and Micah Snelgrove’s doubles. Snelgrove and Halleigh Duke each drove in a pair.

Smith no-hit the Panthers for five innings, striking out three. Five errors didn’t help the Abbeville cause.

Many thanks to the advertisers who keep wellpilgrim.com going. The site is also supported by reader contributions. If you’re interested, you can make modest monthly payments on my Patreon page or a one-time contribution via Venmo (@DHKSports).

Or, if you’d like to make a contribution by check or cash, my mailing address is: Monte Dutton, P.O. 221, Clinton, S.C.  29325 (hutdut@outlook.com).

It means a lot to me that you enjoy what I write.

Most of my books are available at Amazon . Two of my novels, Cowboys Come Home and Lightning in a Bottle, are available in audio versions.

By MONTE DUTTON

After Presbyterian College’s spring football game on Saturday, I asked the new head coach, Matt Rahl, why the fans called better plays than the coaches.

As Dudley Moore once asked in the role of Arthur Bach, “Isn’t fun the greatest thing you can have?”

Rahl walked through the Bailey Memorial Stadium grandstands offering the faithful a chance to call plays for $20 a pop.

“Probably some of them need to be hired,” Rahl said. “I thought it was a fun deal trying to get some fan involvement. Some of them did call some really good plays. About 50 percent of them said, ‘Hey, why don’t you just call the play for me? Everybody was just having fun.”

Rahl had enough sense not to approach me. I was sitting in the stands thinking, Okay, line up in the Notre Dame box, shift into the single wing, roll out to the right and throw a pass back across to the left …

Such a call could have affected the outcome, which the Blue (offense) won by a score of 31-28 over the White (defense). The game began with the White ahead of Blue, 28-0. My play had pick-six written all over it.

I wouldn’t have asked the question to any coach, some of whom would have mistakenly thought me serious. Rahl has a vigorous sense of humor. Some coaches take everything seriously. Rahl likes having fun because he knows that nothing is more fun than winning, which the Blue Hose did a lot last year. His predecessor, Steve Englehart, arrived in Clinton with PC football at rock bottom and steadily progressed: 1-10 to 4-7 to 6-6 to 10-2. Now Englehart is at West Georgia University, and his former offensive-line coach, Rahl, is in charge of the Blue Hose, who have lost many starters but not the acquired taste for winning.

The Blue Hose will begin the coming season on Thursday, Aug, 27 at their stately venue, taking on Virginia Wise. 

“I think we played very clean football throughout today’s game, which is a sign of how far we’ve already come with a group that has so many new faces,” said Rahl. “We made all of our quarterbacks live (as in “live and in person”) for the bulk of spring practices because they are largely inexperienced at this level, but they’ve picked up the offense a great deal and that will only improve.

“It’s all about building a culture right now. We want to be competitive in all phases, and our players definitely showed that today with some very exciting moments.”

Team Blue began its chipping way at White’s built-in lead late in the first quarter on a trick play, 20 yards from incoming freshman Anton Smith to Landon Sharpe

 Team White held their offensive teammates off the board for nearly the whole first period, but team Blue entered the scoring column with a trick play from incoming freshman Anton Smith to Landon Sharpe on a 20-yard pass.

By halftime, the Blue Hose lowered the defensive edge to 11 points, thanks to an 18-yard TD from Max Holtzclaw to Lucas Barz and a 29-yard field goal by Divan Pungong.

Matthew Recupero, fresh from Beverly Hills, Calif., threw a scoring pass to Dre’Von Dopson.

The winning score was a 12-yard reception by West Virginia Wesleyan transfer Tristan Boone.

Most of the offensive productivity occurred via the pass.

“We’re really, really depleted at running back,” Rahl said. “We mostly threw by design tbecause we really only had about two and a half healthy running backs. We didn’t want to wear those guys out. In our first two scrimmages, we ran the ball efficiently.”

Of his four quarterbacks, Rahl said, “They all gave us something different. All four of them kind of rose to the challenge.”

The offense wore blue because Rahl evaluated each practice and it got more of his check marks than the defense.

Amid the food trucks, the giveaways, the selfies and the autographs, the citizen play-callers and a guest punter, and the post-game singing of “On, On, PC,” in part because there isn’t a band to play it, a good time was had by all. The new head coach was laughing all the way.

Take heart, Blue Hose faithful. The season is going to be fun, too.

Brogan Jones’ RBI single in the ninth inning gave Longwood (22-17, 7-7) an 11-10 Big South baseball victory over the Blue Hose on Saturday in Farmville, Va.

Nick Smith homered and Emory Guilford lashed three doubles as PC (9-31, 5-9) overcame an early 6-0 deficit to take a 10-9 lead entering the bottom of the seventh inning. The Lancers scored single runs in the eighth and ninth innings.

Sunday’s 1 p.m. game settles the series.

A doubleheader split gave the Blue Hose a series win over Charleston Southern (8-38, 3-12) as PC (19-27, 7-8) won the opener, 6-2, and fell in the nightcap, 10-2.

Presbyterian ended its home season 12-11 as it honored seniors Peyton Duncan, Morgan Farthing, Maddi Wood, Gracie DeCuir, Blair Darby and Molly Mattas.

The rest of the regular season affords new challenges for the 17-2 Clinton High baseball team, beginning with a 6:30 p.m. Monday home game against Simpsonville’s Southside Christian (12-7-1) that apparently features an appearance by one of the state’s premier pro prospects, lefthanded pitcher Carson Bolemon, who is apparently slated to throw 45 pitches or so against the Red Devils.

Clinton, which has won its last nine games, then travels to Columbia to face Region 3-2A opponent Eau Claire on Tuesday. The Red Devils are to visit Gaffney (6-11) on Wednesday, then close out the region season at home against the Shamrocks on Friday.

Fountain Inn (20-2) visits Clinton on Monday, April 27, and Gaffney arrives for a Wednesday, April 29, game. The playoffs ensue on Friday, May 1.

Many thanks to the advertisers who keep wellpilgrim.com going. The site is also supported by reader contributions. If you’re interested, you can make modest monthly payments on my Patreon page or a one-time contribution via Venmo (@DHKSports).

Or, if you’d like to make a contribution by check or cash, my mailing address is: Monte Dutton, P.O. 221, Clinton, S.C.  29325 (hutdut@outlook.com).

It means a lot to me that you enjoy what I write.

Most of my books are available at Amazon . Two of my novels, Cowboys Come Home and Lightning in a Bottle, are available in audio versions.

By MONTE DUTTON

It seemed too fast for a baseball game.

With one out in the bottom of the third inning on Friday evening, Clayton Kyko reached base on an error by Fairfield Central’s Caden Brown. Graydon Watkins, who had doubled, scored what was perversely the winning run. It was Clinton’s 15th, and a 15-run lead in the third inning ends a game. It’s called a run rule. The Red Devils have won eight times that way.

Clinton (17-2, 7-1 Region 3-2A) once again turned a baseball game into Mario Brothers. All the Red Devils needed were bells and whistles. Undoubtedly a fan walked up the steps to the top of the hill to visit the concession stand and returned in time to watch the players clean up the field.

They packed a lot of punch into 2-1/3 innings at the plate. Clinton scored 15 runs off nine hits, six walks, four hit batters and six doubles. Fairfield Central (3-11, 3-4) had one hit, by Brown, and six errors.

Clinton scored three runs in the first inning, six in the second and six in the third. Tanner Finley (3/3), Camden Finley (2/2), Luke Young (1/1) and Watkins (1/1) were perfect at the plate. Tanner Finley enjoyed a pleasant two innings on the hill, allowing a hit and striking out four. He also drove in six runs, doubled twice and stole a base.

Camden Finley and Jaydon Glenn each stole two bases, supplemented by single thefts from. Owen Glenn, Talan Campbell and Tanner Finley.

What might have been? Head coach Peyton Spangler was about to posit the Red Devils’ outstanding catcher, Young, on the mound for the first time. The game didn’t last long enough. Zack Lawson closed out by retiring Fairfield Central in order in the top of the third.

Leading 9-0 entering the bottom of the third inning, Camden Finley led off with a single off Griffins reliever Brandon Adams, who then beaned Jaydon Glenn. Avery Barnes grounded out, the only out. Finley scored. The next three batters – Owen Glenn, Tanner Finley and Graydon Watkins – all doubled, and by the time the dust subsided, it was 14-0.

The game was both little and loud.

Then Kyko reached on an error, Watkins scored and everybody got home in time to post videos.

It was about the same deal up the aforementioned hill, where Clinton (12-4, 6-2) prevailed over Fairfield Central (4-7, 2-5) by a score of, yes, 15-0, in softball.

It also lasted three innings, but two were away when Addie Watkins singled in the 15th run.

Halleigh Duke, who doubled, collected two hits, as did Kamryn Campbell and Me-Me Smith.

Sierra Templeton limited the Griffins to a hit and a walk while striking out six of the 12 batters she faced.

The Upstate Friars (0-8), of Greenville, were more like fryers on Thursday, when Laurens Academy (8-5) thrashed them, 20-4. Evan Asalone, George Sherer and Mason Cooper each had two hits.

The Crusaders spent as much time walking as hitting, totaling eight in both categories.

The softball action in Greenville on Thursday wasn’t exactly gripping, either. Laurens (9-10, 4-3 Region 1-4A) escaped with a 28-6 decision over Southside.

Addison Trevino, Carly Edwards, Myleigh Robertson and Zealy Martin each had three of the Raiders’ 22 hits. Martin homered and drove in seven.

Thornwell baseball (6-13) fell hard, 15-0, at Dixie (9-5).

In other words, things went south in Due West. The game only went three innings, but the Saints didn’t manage a hit.

The Saints softball team (7-6) won big over McCormick, 13-3. Lexi Hazel and Madi Porter homered amid Thornwell’s 11 hits.

Meanwhile, lowly Presbyterian College (9-30, 5-8) picked up its third straight Big South baseball win with a 3-2 nailbiter over Longwood (21-17, 6-7) in Farmwood, Va., outhitting the Lancers, 8-4.

Tyrell Williams (1-2) pitched seven strong innings, and Robbie Boykin earned his first save and PC won the first of a three-game series.

Last weekend in Clinton, the Blue Hose handed Winthrop its only two conference losses of the season to date.

Audrey Burton’s three-run homer in the first inning put Presbyterian (18-26, 6-7) on track for a 7-5 softball victory over Charleston Southern (7-37, 2-11).

Peyton Duncan (10-12) retired six of the last seven Buccaneers batters to earn the decision in relief of Avery Robinson.

Many thanks to the advertisers who keep wellpilgrim.com going. The site is also supported by reader contributions. If you’re interested, you can make modest monthly payments on my Patreon page or a one-time contribution via Venmo (@DHKSports).

Or, if you’d like to make a contribution by check or cash, my mailing address is: Monte Dutton, P.O. 221, Clinton, S.C.  29325 (hutdut@outlook.com).

It means a lot to me that you enjoy what I write.

Most of my books are available at Amazon . Two of my novels, Cowboys Come Home and Lightning in a Bottle, are available in audio versions.

By MONTE DUTTON

The latter baseball meeting between Laurens County’s premier public high schools was an entirely different affair.

Clinton (16-2) won, 2-1, on Wednesday night. The Red Devils won the earlier game, on March 13, by a score of 12-6. This time Laurens (4-16) made Clinton sweat from its first at-bat until the final out.

The Red Devils’ starter, Camden Finley, allowed only one hit, one run and three walks. He struck out 13 in five innings. Isaac Cain earned a save with two innings of no-hit, three-walk, one-hit-batter relief.

Laurens’ Noah Hughes did not surrender an earned run in 5-1/3 innings of work, giving up three hits and three walks. He fanned six.

The Raiders broke on top in the second inning. Wyatt Pinson led off with a walk, stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on Ke’Allen Blackwell’s sacrifice fly.

Clinton scored both its runs in the bottom of the third, taking advantage of two errors by LDHS shortstop Brayden Patterson and a third by Logan Bragg at second base. Talan Campbell reached base on one Patterson miscue and scored on another. Luke Young’s sacrifice fly drove in Owen Glenn with what proved to be the game-winner.

The Red Devils failed to produce an insurance run in the fifth inning when Jaydon Glenn, who walked, was thrown out at third base trying to go from first to third on a passed ball. Young then singled.

The top of the seventh was tense. Laurens put its first two batters on base, thanks to Cain hitting Braden Yarbrough and walking Miles Crow, but Patterson popped up a bunt attempt, secured in foul territory by Red Devils catcher Young, and Bragg brought the game to a close by grounding into a double play.

Yarbrough collected Laurens’ only hit, a leadoff triple in the fifth inning. He remained at third as Finley struck out Bryson Redd, Patterson and Bragg. Cain weathered two-out walks to Pinson and William Nunley in the sixth by inducing a groundout to Clinton first baseman William Addison.

Camden Finley, Jaydon Glenn and Young had the three Clinton hits, all singles. The Red Devils have won eight straight games. Excepting three forfeits by Southside, which disbanded its team, the Raiders have lost 10 games in a row.

Clinton has won eight games by eight or more runs. The Red Devils host Fairfield Central (3-10) on Friday night at 630 after shutting out the Griffins, 12-0, on Tuesday. Laurens hosts Emerald (6-13) at 6:30 on Monday.

Laurens Academy (7-4) belted Bob Jones (4-6), 12-2, on Tuesday, thanks in part to three runs batted in by Wyatt Little. Evan Asalone, the winning pitcher, and Little combined to limit Bob Jones to three hits.

Thornwell (6-12) broke a three-game skid with a 6-5 victory over Greenville Tech Charter (1-16) on Wednesday. Logan James and K.J. Thompson each had two hits for the Saints. Brayden Brewer’s sacrifice fly in the eighth inning was the game-winner.

Clinton improved its record to 11-4 in softball with a 16-0 domination of Fairfield Central on Tuesday. Alyssa Young drove in four runs, and Sierra Templeton collected three hits. The Griffins (4-6) visit Clinton on Friday evening at 5:30.

Laurens (8-10) clobbered Emerald (5-9) on Thursday behind two-hit games from Addison Trevino, Summer Nations and Makayden Livingston. Neely Stoddard stopped the Vikings on one hit.

Presbyterian College (8-30, 4-8 Big South) came off the baseball deck by capturing a Big South series against visiting Winthrop (23-13, 7-2).

The Eagles won the opener, 4-2, but the Blue Hose responded by taking a 5-2 win on Saturday and a 12-11 slugfest on Sunday. In the final game, PC scored four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Left fielder Andrew Albertus drove in three runs. Albertus, James Green, Matthew Rollinson, Emory Guilford and Mason Caden all had two hits for the Hose, who then fell, 11-2, at Wofford (26-11) on Tuesday.

Shortstop Brady Gold singled, doubled and homered for the Terriers.

The Blue Hose bus to Farmville, Va., for games on Friday, Saturday and Sunday against Longwood (21-16, 6-6).

A Saturday doubleheader sweep gave PC (17-27, 5-7) a road softball series win against Gardner-Webb.

After being shut out, 2-0, in the opener, the bats came alive with 12-2 and 11-10 victories on Saturday.

PC collected 19 hits in the nightcap. Hali Duke drove in seven runs during the doubleheader.

Charleston Southern (7-36, 2-10) visits for a single game on Friday and a Saturday doubleheader.

Many thanks to the advertisers who keep wellpilgrim.com going. The site is also supported by reader contributions. If you’re interested, you can make modest monthly payments on my Patreon page or a one-time contribution via Venmo (@DHKSports).

Or, if you’d like to make a contribution by check or cash, my mailing address is: Monte Dutton, P.O. 221, Clinton, S.C.  29325 (hutdut@outlook.com).

It means a lot to me that you enjoy what I write.

Most of my books are available at Amazon . Two of my novels, Cowboys Come Home and Lightning in a Bottle, are available in audio versions.

By MONTE DUTTON

Five Blessed Trinity pitchers combined to limit Laurens (4-15) to two runs and three hits as the Roswell, Ga., school defeated the Raiders, 4-2, on Friday in the finale of Laurens’ spring-break trip to the Charleston area.

With the exception of three forfeits over Southside, which suspended its baseball program, Laurens has lost nine consecutive games.

Blessed Trinity (17-10) put up three runs in the bottom of the first inning and added another in the fourth. Third baseman Ryder Register had two of the Titans’ four hits, with the game’s only extra-base hit, a double.

Zach Jansen pitched the first three innings for the Titans, allowing only a walk and a hit batter while striking out three.

Brayden Patterson, Wyatt Pinson and Hunter Richardson had LDHS’s three singles.

Laurens starter J.P. Smith failed to record an out. Elliott Barksdale toiled the rest of the way, allowing all four hits but only an unearned run after Smith walked three and hit a fourth batter in the first inning.

Laurens scored two runs in the fifth after Ke’Allen Blackwell was hit by a pitch and Bryson Redd walked to lead off the inning. Both runners scored on an error by Blessed Trinity second baseman Carson Florence.

In Clinton, the score was also 4-2 as Winthrop dropped Presbyterian College (6-29, 2-8 Big South) to its fifth straight setback.

Tyrell Williams (0-2) took the loss in spite of a 6-2/3-inning start in which he allowed six hits and two earned runs.

Winthrop (23-11, 7-0) got 6-1/3 strong innings from starter Brayden Gilley (5-3), who allowed six hits and a walk, striking out eight. Ben Rehkow earned his second save.

Nick Smith homered for the Blue Hose, as Corey Wouters of Winthrop. Emory Guilford led PC with two hits and four at-bats. Likewise, Gabe Natividad went 2/4 for the Eagles, scoring twice and driving in a run.

The two teams play again on Saturday at 3 p.m., followed by a 1 p.m. series finale on Sunday.

Gardner-Webb (25-16, 5-5) blanked Presbyterian (15-26, 3-7), 2-0, in the opener of a softball series on Friday in Boiling Springs, N.C.

Alli Stidham (10-3) gave up seven hits but nary a run in a complete game. She walked two and struck out six. Avery Robinson (6-7) took the loss despite allowing only one earned run.

Blair Darby and Baxleigh Arnette each collected two hits, one a double in both cases, for Presbyterian. Five different GWU batters had a hit apiece for the Running Bulldogs, who got a double from Lauren Spainhower.

Many thanks to the advertisers who keep wellpilgrim.com going. The site is also supported by reader contributions. If you’re interested, you can make modest monthly payments on my Patreon page or a one-time contribution via Venmo (@DHKSports).

Or, if you’d like to make a contribution by check or cash, my mailing address is: Monte Dutton, P.O. 221, Clinton, S.C.  29325 (hutdut@outlook.com).

It means a lot to me that you enjoy what I write.

Most of my books are available at Amazon . Two of my novels, Cowboys Come Home and Lightning in a Bottle, are available in audio versions.

By MONTE DUTTON

Clinton High’s baseball team ransacked the Low Country as if led by Francis Marion, not Peyton Spangler.

In three games at the Hanahan Invitational, the Red Devils cleaned out Hickory Grove Christian, Berkeley and Bishop England by a combined score of 25-10. Berkeley won the 5A state title last year.

On Wednesday night, Tanner Finley, who had earned a save the night before, pitched four innings, allowing one hit and one walk. He struck out three. Zack Lawson retired the Battling Bishops in order to end the game via a 10-run rule. The score was 10-0.

On the offensive side, it was quite the team effort. The first eight batters in the Red Devil order had a single apiece. Six of them scored at least a run. Six of them drove in at least a run.

Only three of the 10 runs charged losing pitcher Jackson Radcliffe were earned. The first batter in the bottom of the first inning, John Carr, had the only hit of the night for Bishop England (8-7).

Angel Vargas and Talan Campbell each drove in two runs for Clinton (14-2), which returns to Region 3-2A next Tuesday at Fairfield Central.

Brian Ebeling drove in four runs with a single, a double and a triple, and Philip Simmons (14-3) outslugged Laurens (4-14) by a score of 12-10 on Wednesday night.

All 10 of the Raiders’ hits were singles. Nine LDHS batters had them; only Logan Bragg had two. Laurens led, 9-4, after three innings, but the Iron Horses scored five runs in the fourth and three in the fifth.

Ebeling was also the winning pitcher, hurling the last three innings. Hunter Richardson took the loss.

Excepting three forfeits over Southside, the Raiders have dropped eight straight games.

Sophomore Katie Peeler delivered a walk-off double in the bottom of the seventh inning to score A.B. Cipalla from first base as Furman rallied to down Presbyterian 7-6, and earn a doubleheader split with the Blue Hose Tuesday afternoon at Pepsi Stadium in Greenville. Presbyterian earned a 5-1 victory in game one.

Ansley Chiang drew a four-pitch walk to put the tying run on base to begin the bottom of the seventh. After she swiped second and Duncan notched a strikeout for the first out of the frame, Cipalla singled to right field to plate Chiang with the tying run. Duncan got Embler to fly out to right field, but Peeler followed by lacing the first pitch she saw into the left-center field gap to drive on Cipalla with the winning run.

The victory marked the first collegiate win for freshman Jamison Noonan (1-9). Duncan (8-12) absorbed the loss for PC after giving up seven runs on eight hits over 6-2/3 innings in the circle. Hali Duke, Avery Robinson, Darby, and Arnette each collected two hits apiece for the Blue Hose.

Presbyterian took a 5-1 victory in the opening game of the day behind a stellar effort in the circle from Robinson. She held Furman to one run on seven hits over seven innings to improve to 6-6 on the season. Robinson did not allow a walk while fanning six Paladins.

After Furman grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first inning on Embler’s RBI double into the right-center field gap, Robinson put up six straight scoreless frame. Her offense got to work by scoring a pair of runs in the top of the fifth. The Blue Hose loaded the bases with two outs and Audrey Burton gave PC a 2-1 lead on a single to left field.

In the top of the sixth inning, Presbyterian opened the frame with four consecutive hits, including a two-run single from Morgan Farthing, to push the margin to 5-1.

Embler (5-10) took the loss for Furman, allowing five runs on 10 hits over seven innings. Cipalla went 2/3 at the plate to lead the Paladins in game one.

Furman (7-31) returns to Southern Conference play on Saturday when it opens a three-game series at Mercer. Presbyterian (15-25) goes back to the Big South, visiting Gardner-Webb for a single game Friday and a Saturday doubleheader.

Many thanks to the advertisers who keep wellpilgrim.com going. The site is also supported by reader contributions. If you’re interested, you can make modest monthly payments on my Patreon page or a one-time contribution via Venmo (@DHKSports).

Or, if you’d like to make a contribution by check or cash, my mailing address is: Monte Dutton, P.O. 221, Clinton, S.C.  29325 (hutdut@outlook.com).

It means a lot to me that you enjoy what I write.

Most of my books are available at Amazon . Two of my novels, Cowboys Come Home and Lightning in a Bottle, are available in audio versions.

-10

By MONTE DUTTONg

Clinton High got off to a strong start at the Hanahan Invitational, a spring-break tournament near Charleston.

The Red Devils began with a 10-7 victory over Hickory Grove Christian (Charlotte, N.C.), led by red-hot catcher Luke Young.

Young, who had homered twice in his previous game, went 2/3 with a double and three RBI. The score was 4-4 until Clinton put up five runs in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Outfielders Owen Glenn and Camden Finley opened the frame with singles, followed by doubles by Jaydon Glenn, driving in Owen Glenn, and Young, driving in Finley and Jaydon Glenn. Tanner Finley’s two-out single drove in Talan Campbell, and Tanner Finley stole home before the inning ended on Logan Johnson’s ground-out.

The Lions (6-7) scored three times in the top of the seventh, highlighted by Nathan Dowdy’s two-run homer. Dowdy, Dean Colson and Dallas Tucker each collected two hits.

Tanner Finley collected three hits and stole four bases. Both Glenns had two hits. Angel Vargas homered.

Isaac Cain was the winning pitcher. Ty Rhodes took the loss.

Tuesday night brought a 5-3, eight-inning victory over Berkeley (9-5-1).

Camden and Tanner Finley combined for a win and a save, respectively, on the mound. Camden did the heavy lifting. He went seven innings, allowing two hits, one earned run, a hit batter and a walk. Oh, yeah. He struck out 15.

Tanner pitched the eighth, allowing a hit and protecting Clinton’s recently acquired two-run lead. Ten of his 11 pitches were strikes.

The winning rally commenced with Luke Young’s leadoff double. Young scored when Vargas reached on an error with one out. There were two out when Vargas scored on Logan Johnson’s single.

Young homered, his ninth, and went 2/4. Tanner Finley also went 2/4 and drove in two runs.

Easton Little, Henry Montgomery and Lucas Porcelli divided the Stags’ three hits among themselves. Eli Matthews took the loss.

Ashley Ridge (6-7-1) defeated Laurens, 10-1, in spite of a double and a triple by Raiders shortstop Brayden Patterson.

Noah Hughes had the only other Laurens (4-13) hit. Brodie Tuthill had three of the Swamp Foxes’ eight.

Braxton Sherrouse struck out eight in six innings for the Summerville school. Hughes, the Laurens starter, took the loss.

Pinewood Prep, also of Summerville, edged Laurens, 5-4, on Tuesday. The Panthers (10-1) overcame a 4-1 deficit with four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Wyatt Pinson led the Raiders with a single and a double in four at-bats. Max Poulakis had the same for Pinewood.

After Logan Martin retired the first two batters in the seventh, Laurens never recorded another out. Two reached on errors, two walked, one singled, another was hit by a pitch, and the winning run scored on a bases-loaded walk.

Matt Ruhl’s first spring game as Presbyterian College head football coach is at Saturday, April 18, at Bailey Memorial Stadium, commencing at 6 p.m.

PC’s roster will be split for the event, playing four full-length quarters with a running clock, and the defense will start the scrimmage with a 28-0 lead.

Gates will open one hour before the on-field festivities. Concessions, season tickets and merchandise will be available for purchase.

Sign-ups are currently open for a Tailgate Contest to be held outside the stadium, where the winner will receive season tickets for the upcoming 2026 campaign. Entry closes on Thursday, April 16. There is a $15 entry fee. Five categories will be rewarded: Blue Hose Spirit (best décor), main dish, sides, desserts and overall winner.

Players are to sign autographs after the game. A free youth clinic in conjunction with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes begins at 4 p.m.

Charleston Southern finished off a three-game sweep of Presbyterian (6-28, 2-7 Big South) on Saturday in North Charleston, outslugging the Blue Hose, 15-11, after shutting them out, 7-0, on Thursday, and 13-12 in 10 innings on Friday.

The Bucs (20-10, 5-4) piled up 17 hits off four PC hurlers and took advantage of four Blue Hose errors.

Matthew Rollison hit his sixth home run for Presbyterian. Catcher Lucas Pringle had three hits for CSU, as did Rollison and Bo Moody for PC.

The fourth-ranked team in the country looked it when the poor Blue Hose visited Athens, Ga.

After an inning, PC led Georgia on Tuesday.

Then the Bulldogs scored 14 runs in the second, and they were off. The final score, concluded in seven innings, was 28-1. Five different Georgia batters slammed homers. Moody had two of PC’s three hits.

Presbyterian (9-5) upended Furman in men’s tennis on Tuesday at Mickel Tennis Center in Greenville.

Furman (6-12) won two out of the three doubles matches. Daksh Prasad won the match for Presbyterian at No. 3 singles with a 3-6, 6-1, 6-3 victory versus Walker Allen.

Rounding up the PoWs: Rollison was the Big South baseball player of the week, thanks to four home runs and a .556 average for the week and in spite of PC’s current six-game skid. Hali Duke won freshman honors in softball thanks to a .600 average for the week. James Rhodes was the top freshman golfer, and Matija Samardzic was tops in women’s tennis.

Many thanks to the advertisers who keep wellpilgrim.com going. The site is also supported by reader contributions. If you’re interested, you can make modest monthly payments on my Patreon page or a one-time contribution via Venmo (@DHKSports).

Or, if you’d like to make a contribution by check or cash, my mailing address is: Monte Dutton, P.O. 221, Clinton, S.C.  29325 (hutdut@outlook.com).

It means a lot to me that you enjoy what I write.

Most of my books are available at Amazon . Two of my novels, Cowboys Come Home and Lightning in a Bottle, are available in audio versions.

By MONTE DUTTON

This is a bit jaded by the institution on my diploma – but …

In the first round of the NCAA Tournament, Furman kept it close for most the game before losing to Connecticut. In the final, the same with UConn against Michigan. The Paladins, tall and lanky, were overwhelmed by the Huskies’ tall and stout. The Wolverines were taller and bigger yet.

The games looked similar. The differences in the teams seemed similar. The Southern Conference champion matched up against the Big East champion about the same way the Big East lined up opposite the B1G (the Big More Than 10).

In 2023, Furman upset Virginia, then lost to San Diego State, which eventually lost to Connecticut in the final. This year the Paladins lost to UConn, which eventually lost to Michigan in the final.

Now, once again, Furman must be reconstituted. Key players Alex Wilkins, Asa Thomas, Cooper Bowser and Eddrin Bronson are entering the transfer portal.

It’s similar throughout the Southern Conference. The teams remind me of the baseball minor leagues. A mostly different team shows up every year.

That’s just the way it is.

With apologies to all the golfers, netters, harriers, et al., in the absence of baseball, spring is the Artemis II behind the dark side of the moon. Unfortunately, spring lasts more than 40 minutes on earth.

Softball is 6-30, though Kristyn Embler is SoCon Pitcher of the Week on account of a 3-0 shutout of UNC Greensboro in the Paladins’ only conference win to date.

Lacrosse is 7-6, 3-1 in the Big South, after a 13-11 road victory over Longwood. Lily Toole had three goals and three assists.

Women’s tennis is 14-4, 6-0 in the SoCon, after edging Chattanooga, 4-3, in the home finale. Lillie Murphy defeated the Mocs’ Addison Iacono at No. 1, 7-6 (7-2), 7-5. The Paladins swept the doubles point.

Amanda Wolfert is the new Associate Athletics Director for Development. The UNC grad comes to Furman after 2-1/2 years at Ohio University.

Helen Gutierrez of women’s soccer and Statesboro, Gal., is one of 21 fall female athletes nationally to earn an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship.

Eight Furman student-athletes — Julie Galie (women’s soccer), Grace Gibson (lacrosse), Ellie Herrmann (women’s soccer), Anna Hill (cheerleading), Natondi Mokeba (men’s soccer), Abby Shearer (lacrosse), Audrey Smith (lacrosse) and Ben Vander Wal (men’s basketball) — have been recognized for exemplary leadership by the university’s Shucker Leadership Institute.
Albert Velikonja is the Southern Conference men’s outdoor track athlete of the week. A native of Montreal, Quebec, Velikonja leads the league in the 5,000 meters after posting a time of 13:51.71 last weekend at the Raleigh Relays.

Many thanks to the advertisers who keep wellpilgrim.com going. If you’d like to join that number, contact me. Supplies are limited. The site is also supported by reader contributions. If you’re interested, you can make modest monthly payments on my Patreon page or a one-time contribution via Venmo (@DHKSports).

Or, if you’d like to make a contribution by check or cash, my mailing address is: Monte Dutton, P.O. 221, Clinton, S.C.  29325 (hutdut@outlook.com).

It means a lot to me that you enjoy what I write.

Most of my books are available at Amazon . Two of my novels, Cowboys Come Home and Lightning in a Bottle, are available in audio versions.