By Thomas Grant Jr.
After waiting out three days due to rainy weather, Saluda softball finally punched its ticket back to the Class 2A final.
The Lady Tigers defeated Chesnee 7-2 to win the Upper State title. They jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning after capitalizing off an error and hit batsmen.
Miller Martin added a solo home run in the fourth inning. Saluda then scored two runs off an error in the fifth inning to go up 7-0.
Starter Kylee McGlohorn gave up a 2-run homer to Bixley Koon in the Top 6th. She finished the game with six strikeouts.
The Lady Tigers (27-3) looks to redeem itself from last year’s state final loss in two games to East Clarendon. They opened the Best-of-Three series Tuesday at home against Chesterfield.
Game Two is scheduled for Thursday at the Lady Rams, with Game Three, if necessary, Saturday back in Saluda.
BASEBALL
Gators’ season ends
The resilient post-season run that saw River Bluff baseball prevail in four elimination games ended Saturday night at defending Class 5A Division I champion James Island.
The Gators fell 3-1 to the Trojans last Saturday in the deciding game. A Sam Turner sacrifice fly to give River Bluff a first inning lead was its lone run of the game.
James Island’s pitching trio of Dawson Baldner, Taj Marchand and Brayden Easterling combined to allow just four hits and strike out five.
River Bluff had baserunners on first and second with two outs in its last at-bat. However, Turner lined out to rightfield to end the season.
Just two days earlier, the Gators forced a deciding game after rallying from a 9-0 deficit for an 11-10 win.
Banks Alexander ignited the comeback with a 3-run homer as part of a 4-run third inning. River Bluff then tied the game at 9-9 in the fourth inning with a 5-run rally.
After James Island reclaimed the lead in the Bottom 4th with a double by Marchand, Wes Godwin connected with the go-ahead 2-run homer in the fifth inning.
Marchand attempted to score the potential game-tying run with two outs in the seventh inning. However, he was thrown out at homeplate to end the game.
River Bluff finished the season with a 17-10 record.
