AC Flora, Gilbert baseball one step closer to playing for state championship
A.C. Flora baseball used an offensive onslaught to take the opening game of the Class 4A Upper State championship series.
The Falcons hit three homers in the first two innings on their way to a 17-1 win over Lugoff-Elgin in three innings Monday. Game 2 of the best-of-three series is 7 p.m. Wednesday at A.C. Flora. A third game, if necessary, would be 7 p.m. Friday at Dutch Fork High School.
The Falcons last played for a state championship in 2017.
“We swung the bat really well,” A.C. Flora coach Andy Hallett said. “We felt like we had really good preparation at practice yesterday and going back to the plan that got us here. Then in batting practice, we tried really hard to stay on keeping things in the middle of the field and finding the barrel of the bat. And we had a really good night.”
It was the third meeting of the season between the Falcons and Demons, who are members of Region 4-4A. A.C. Flora swept the season series and now has outscored L-E 39-4 in three games.
Max Childress, Citadel commit Phillips Daniels and South Carolina commit Zander Buchan all homered for A.C. Flora. It was the second straight game Childress and Daniels each homered in a game. Daniels finished with five RBIs.
“Our offense is insane, one through nine we can get on,” Buchan said. “We hit for power, we hit for contact. Our offense is truly special.”
Jake Huggins added three hits and an RBI and South Carolina commit Jack Reynolds was 2-for-3 with an RBI.
Gamecocks commit Grant Loggins pitched two innings for the win.
WP: Gran Loggins LP: Reed Goff Hitters: ACF: Jack Reynolds 2-3 RBI; Carew Bates 1-3 RBI; Phillips Daniels 1-2 HR, 5 RBI; Zander Buchan 2-3 HR, RBI; Max Childress 1-1 HR, 2 RBI; Jake Sears 1-2 RBI; Jake Huggins 3-3 RBI.
Gilbert 8, Strom Thurmond 2
At Gilbert, the Indians won the opening game of the Class 3A Lower State championship series.
Game two is 6 p.m. Wednesday at Strom Thurmond. Gilbert is looking for its first state championship trip since 2012 when it was in Class 2A. The series is a matchup of Region 5-3A teams that split their two games in the regular season.
Ashby Vining and Austin Waters each had two RBIs, while Preston Price and Cooper Burkett each had two hits. Edwin Amerson picked up the win.
WP: Edwin Amerson LP: Jones Hitters: ST: Jolly 2-3. G: Nathan Reynolds 1-4 RBI; Ashby Vining 1-4 2 RBI; Austin Waters 2-3 2 RBI; Preston Price 2-3; Cooper Burkett
Gray Collegiate 3, Abbeville 0
At Midlands Sports Complex, Peyton Starkey struck out 10 in 5 1/3 innings as the War Eagles won an elimination game in the 2A district playoffs. Gray will travel to Legion Collegiate on Tuesday, needing to win two games to earn a spot in upper state championship.
WP: Peyton Starkey LP: Price SV: Warren Wasden. Hitters: GC: Raymond Jones 2-2 RBI; Savion Smith 2-3 RBI; Turner Thackston 1-4 RBI
——Softball——
Catawba Ridge 3, Lugoff-Elgin 1
At Catawba Ridge, the Copperheads broke open a 1-1 tie with two runs in the sixth to win the opening game of 4A Upper State championship series.
Game two is 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Lugoff-Elgin.
Emma Spradley struck out 10 in the loss for the Demons. Reece Pickett had L-E’s lone RBI.
SCHSL Baseball Playoff Schedule
Class 5A
Upper State Championship
Best-of-3 Series
Monday
Hillcrest 12, Dorman 2, Hillcrest leads series 1-0
Wednesday
Hillcrest at Dorman
Friday
Hillcrest vs. Dorman at Byrnes High School, if necessary
Lower State Championship
Monday
Summerville 7, Berkeley 6, Summerville leads series, 1-0
Wednesday
Summerville at Berkeley
Friday
Summerville vs. Berkeley, if necessary at neutral site
Class 4A
Upper State Championship
Best-of-3 Series
Monday
AC Flora 17, Lugoff-Elgin 1 (3), ACF leads series 1-0
Wednesday
Lugoff-Elgin at AC Flora, 7 p.m.
Friday
AC Flora vs Lugoff-Elgin at Dutch Fork High School, 7 p.m., if necessary
Lower State Championship
Best-of-3 Series
Monday
James Island 5, Beaufort 4, JI leads series 1-0
Wednesday
James Island at Beaufort
Friday
James Island vs. Beaufort, if necessary at neutral site
Class 3A
Upper State Championship
Best-of-3 series
Monday
West-Oak 6, Powdersville 3, West-Oak leads series 1-0
Wednesday
Powdersville at West-Oak
Friday
West-Oak vs Powdersville, if necessary at a neutral site
Lower State Championship
Best-of-3 Series
Monday
Gilbert 8, Strom Thurmond 2, Gilbert leads series 1-0
Wednesday
Gilbert at Strom Thurmond, 6 p.m.
Friday
Gilbert vs. Strom Thurmond, if necessary at neutral site
Class 2A
Upper State
District 1
Tuesday
Crescent at Landrum, 5 p.m.
District 2
Monday
Gray Collegiate 3, Abbeville 0
Tuesday
Gray Collegiate at Legion Collegiate, 5:30 p.m
Lower State
District 3
Monday
Barnwell 12, Marion 10
Tuesday
Barnwell at Andrew Jackson
District 4
Monday
Phillip Simmons 4, Buford 3
Tuesday
Phillip Simmons at Latta
Class A
Upper State Championship
Best-of-3
Monday
Southside Christian 11, Whitmire 1, SC leads series 1-0
Wednesday
Southside Christian at Whitmire
Friday
Whitmire vs. Southside Christian, if necessary, at neutral site
Lower State Championship
Best-of-3 series
Monday
Lake View 4, Green Sea Floyds 1, LV series, 1-0
Wednesday
Green Sea Floyds at Lake View, 7 p.m.
Friday
Green Sea Floyds vs. Lake View, if necessary, at neutral site
SCHSL Softball Playoff Schedule
Class 5A
Upper State Championship
Best-of-3 Series
Monday
Byrnes 3, Fort Mill 2 (10), Byrnes leads series 1-0
Wednesday
Fort Mill at Byrnes
Friday
Fort Mill vs. Byrnes, if necessary at a neutral site
Lower State Championship
Best-of-3 Series
Monday
Berkeley 6, Ashley Ridge 2, Berkeley leads series, 1-0
Wednesday
Berkeley at Ashley Ridge
Friday
Berkeley vs. Ashley Ridge, if necessary at a neutral site
Class 4A
Upper State Championship
Best-of-3 Series
Monday
Catawba Ridge 3, Lugoff-Elgin 1, CR leads series 1-0
Wednesday
Catawba Ridge at Lugoff-Elgin, 6:30 p.m.
Friday
Catawba Ridge vs. Lugoff-Elgin, if necessary at a neutral site
Lower State Championship
Best-of-3 Series
Monday
Darlington 3, Colleton County 2, Darlington leads series 1-0
Wednesday
Colleton County at Darlington
Friday
Colleton County vs. Darlington, if necessary, at a neutral site
Class 3A
Upper Championship
Best-of-3 Series
Monday
Union County 4, Seneca 3, UC leads series 1-0
Wednesday
Union County at Seneca
Friday
Union County at Seneca, if necessary at a neutral site
Lower State Championship
Best-of-3 Series
Monday
Dillon 11, Aynor 3, Dillon leads series, 1-0
Wednesday
Aynor at Dillon
Friday
Aynor vs. Dillon, if necessary at a neutral site
Class 2A
Upper State Championship
Best-of-3 Series
Monday
Legion Collegiate 8, Chesnee 7, LC leads series, 1-0
Wednesday
Legion Collegiate at Chesnee
Friday
Legion Collegiate at Chesnee, if necessary at a neutral site
Lower State Championship
Best-of-3 Series
Monday
Buford 11, Andrew Jackson 1, Buford leads series, 1-0
Wednesday
Andrew Jackson at Buford
Friday
Andrew Jackson vs. Buford, if necessary at a neutral site
Class A
Upper State Championship
Best-of-3 Series
Monday
Dixie 9, High Point Academy 2, Dixie leads series 1-0
Wednesday
Dixie at High Point Academy
Friday
Dixie vs. High Point Academy, if necessary at a neutral site
Lower State Championship
Best-of-3 Series
Monday
Bamberg-Ehrhardt 9, Lake View 8, B-E leads series, 1-0
Wednesday
Lake View at Bamberg-Ehrhardt
Friday
Lake View at Bamberg-Ehrhardt, if necessary at a neutral site
This story was originally published May 24, 2021 at 10:28 PM.
