Prep baseball, softball playoffs underway this weekend

May 15—The chase for a South Carolina High School League state championship begins in earnest this weekend for area prep baseball and softball teams.

Seven of them are in action Saturday as double-elimination district play begins, and all of those games will be played at home.

Baseball

Four area schools won region championships this season and are No. 1 seeds in their respective districts.

North Augusta brought home the Region 5-AAAA title and has the top seed in Lower State District 4. The Yellow Jackets host Region 7-AAAA runner-up Beaufort at 1 p.m. Saturday at Riverview Park.

Strom Thurmond won the Region 5-AAA title in a one-game playoff against Gilbert. That gave the Rebels the No. 1 seed in Lower State District 4 and a home game at 1:30 p.m. Saturday against Region 6-AAA runner-up Marlboro County.

Barnwell reeled off six consecutive Region 5-AA wins to clinch the league title and the No. 1 seed in Lower State District 3. The Warhorses beat Woodland 11-4 on Friday night and will be at home again at 6 p.m. Monday against either Andrew Jackson or Marion.

Ridge Spring-Monetta won the Region 3-A title for a No. 1 seed in Upper State District 1. The Trojans host at-large opponent Great Falls. Williston-Elko was region runner-up and hosts Region 1-A Whitmire in Upper State District 2.

Softball

North Augusta is again one of the state's top programs, and the Yellow Jackets (22-2 overall) were dominant during an undefeated run to a Region 5-AAAA championship. The No. 1 seed in Lower State District 4, North Augusta hosts Region 7-AAAA No. 2 May River at 1 p.m. Saturday at Riverview Park.

Midland Valley is back in the playoffs as the region's No. 2 seed in Lower State District 3. The Mustangs host Region 6-AAAA runner-up South Florence at noon Saturday.

South Aiken finished third in the region and snagged an at-large bid. The T-Breds visited Colleton County on Friday night and lost 5-1. The T-Breds will face the loser of the Midland Valley vs. South Florence game Monday in an elimination game.

Barnwell, Region 5-AA's No. 2 seed, hit the road Friday and beat Region 6-AA champion Timberland 13-7. Barnwell will next play Monday against either Latta or Andrew Jackson in a winners' matchup in Lower State District 4.

Wagener-Salley earned another Region 3-A crown and will host at-large selection Ware Shoals at noon Saturday in Upper State District 1. Ridge Spring-Monetta got the No. 2 seed in Upper State District 2 and will host Region 1-A runner-up High Point Academy at 4 p.m. Saturday.

Boys' Golf

Five area golf teams will be competing Monday and Tuesday in their respective state championship tournaments.

South Aiken, North Augusta and Aiken all qualified for the Class AAAA championship at Dolphin Head Golf Club on Hilton Head Island. South Aiken won the Lower State title by a stroke over North Augusta, just like at the Region 5-AAAA tournament, and Aiken finished fifth to earn spots at state.

Fox Creek and Strom Thurmond both advanced to the Class AAA championship at Three Pines Country Club in Woodruff.

Fox Creek tied for second at Lower State after setting another program scoring record, and Strom Thurmond was sixth.