Photo from lexingtonhswildcats.com
By Thomas Grant Jr.
A region showdown between archrivals took place Tuesday in Lexington.
The perennial Region 4-5A champion Lady Wildcats played host to upstart River Bluff. Both teams entered the contest with 4-0 records in the region.
Lexington has won the last eight meetings in the series after dropping the first four starting in 2015. River Bluff’s last victory was March 16, 2016.
The Lady Gators are coming off a 12-1 rout in five innings of Dutch Fork on Friday. After falling behind 1-0 in the first inning, River Bluff responded with six runs in the bottom half of the inning.
It added three more runs in the second and third innings and pitcher Alexis Jodie allowed no hits and struck out seven.
Blaire Gillcrease went 2-4 with four RBI, Blythe Sanders went 2-4 with three RBI and Jodie was 2-4 with 2 RBI.
Lexington went 3-1 at the Swampcat Invitational this past weekend at Ashley Ridge High School. It opened with a 7-2 win over Oceanside Collegiate Academy as Payton Gooce hit a 2-run homer and Ella Grace went 3-3 with two RBI.
The Lady Wildcats then rolled past Beaufort 11-2. It was another perfect 3-3 for Grace, who drove in three runs, and Livi Warren and Naomi Little both drove in two runs.
On Saturday, Lexington held off May River 7-6 in four innings. Haley Revis had three RBI to help Haley Manz pick up the win.
The Invitational ended for the Lady Wildcats with a 5-1 loss to defending Class 5A Lower State champion Summerville.
In Class 2A, Batesburg-Leesville has won three consecutive games after suffering its first loss of the season. Last Friday, the Lady Panthers defeated Pelion 8-1 as pitcher Ainsley Minchew struck out 17 batters and allowed just one hit.
Kate Shealy drove in three runs, including a 2-run homer, and Lexie Davis had a solo home run in the second inning.
Batesburg-Leesville stood 2-1 in the region behind Ninety-Six. The two teams meet again April 14 at Ninety-Six.
Baseball
Both Lexington and River Bluff played non-region contests over the weekend.
After suffering a 2-1 loss to Chapin last Thursday, the Wildcats played host to Boiling Springs Saturday.
Lexington took a 4-0 lead through the first four innings. Grady Dettbarn had a 2-run homer and Cross George followed with a solo shot in the third inning.
After the Bulldogs got within a run, Lexington’s Victor Kacenski scored off a double steal. It proved to be the winning run as Boiling Springs scored off an error and had the tying run on second base with two outs.
Jake Epps recorded the final out to give Brayden Studebaker the victory.
Fresh off a 2-game sweep over Irmo in which the Yellow Jackets were outscored 20-0, River Bluff visited Riley Park in Sumter for the Gamecock City Invitational.
Against the host team Gamecocks, Sam Turner drove in four runs off two doubles and Walker Godwin had a 2-run double in the 6-5 victory.
Pitcher Peyton Hewitt was named Most Valuable Player as he struck out six in four innings.
In Class 2A, Saluda holds first place in Region 2-2A over defending Class A champion Batesburg-Leesville. The Tigers have lost three of their last four games, including a 4-3 defeat to Pelion.
The Panthers suffered their first region loss Friday to Ninety-Six by a 14-6 score.
