Field conditions have caused Game 2 of the AA Baseball State Championship series between Clinton and Atlantic Collegiate (Conway) to be re-scheduled to this Friday, 3 p.m. at Clinton’s baseball/softball complex. The Red Devil senior baseball players will join their classmates in 10 a.m. graduation that same morning.
Clinton won 5-1 on Tuesday playing at the Ripken Experience (artificial turf) in Myrtle Beach. As that game ended and Red Devil players and fans started making their way home, the National Weather Service declared a flash flood warning for Laurens County expiring at 8 a.m. today (May 27). At 10:20 p.m. Tuesday, Laurens County Emergency Management listed 11 Clinton, Laurens and Laurens County streets and road closed by excessive water; all were declared re-opened by 7:55 this morning.
Game 3, if necessary in the SCHL Class 2A Baseball Championship, will be this Saturday at Logoff-Elgin High School, about 90 miles east of Clinton.
Clinton improves to 30-3 on the season, as Atlantic Collegiate drops to 29-4. Camden Finley for Clinton out-dueled Eli Chowning for AC - Finley pitched a 2 hitter, stuck out 8, walked 5 and hit a batter in pitching into the bottom of the 7th. Isaac Cain finished for Clinton in relief, after Finley threw 108 of the 110 pitches he was allowed for the game. Chowning surrendered 8 hits, struck out 5 and walked 5 in the complete game loss.
Finley’s only shaky inning was the first.
For Clinton, Logan Johnson hit a 20out, 2-run single in the second to counter AC’s 1 run in the first inning. Camden Finley added a home run for Clinton in the 5th. Then, Owen Glenn electrified the Clinton crowd with an inside-the-park home run, hit with 2 outs in the top of the 6th. William Addison went 3-for-3 for the Red Devils with a double.
It already has been a historic season for Red Devil Baseball - senior catcher Luke Young now has the season and career home runs records, at 12 and 15, respectively. Clinton won the Upper State title over Batesburg-Leesville and the District title over Central.
Tuesday’s road win was broadcast back to Clinton on WPCC AM-FM radio and world-wide on the Large Time Network (DJ Pat and Robin Patterson). Voice of the Red Devils Buddy Bridges and Gene Simmons were on the call at Myrtle Beach.
Clinton might get more rain - weather forecasts call for a 76% chance on Thursday but “just” a 38% chance on Friday. The two venues for Friday activities at CHS — the 10 a.m. Commencement in the main gym (a ticketed event) and the 3 p.m. Baseball Game 2 at the fields - share the students’ parking lot behind the high school. Senior Night and fireworks are scheduled in the gym and the parking areas at 7 p.m. tomorrow (May 28).
Ticket prices for Friday’s game are $10, set by the SC High School League, and only SCHSL passes can be accepted. Everyone who buys a ticket is encouraged to hold on to it, in case of a rain delay or postponement.
In May, 2023, Clinton Baseball won the Class AAA State Championship at home, 5-4, over Hanahan, under head coach Sean McCarthy. It was Clinton’s first baseball state championship since 1961.
Luke Young & Jaydon Glenn with Coach Spangler at SCHL press conference here.
