Airport baseball advances, earns title matchup with AC Flora
The Airport Eagles baseball team will have a chance to defend its state championship.
Airport defeated Hartsville, 7-3, in the deciding game of the Class 4A Lower State best-of-three championship series on Saturday at Jimmy White Park.
With the win, the defending state champion Eagles will play AC Flora in an all-Midlands matchup for the 4A state championship. This is the second time the teams have met in a championship series, with AC Flora defeating Airport in 2013.
Game 1 is Tuesday at AC Flora with Game 2 at Airport on Thursday. If necessary, Game 3 will be at AC Flora on May 30.
The Eagles will be making their sixth state championship appearance. After losing Game 1 on Tuesday at Hartsville, Airport won the final two games of the series to earn its second straight championship appearance.
Airport jumped on top early with a five-run second inning to lead 5-0. Callahan Berry and Braden Gross had RBI singles to make it 3-0. Then Isahia Clemmons delivered a two-run single to make it 5-0.
Gabe Ingram had RBI hits in the fourth and fifth to make it 7-3.
Justin Sightler led Airport with three hits.
Brayden Dunlap picked up the win in relief. Dunlap pitched the final four innings and did not allow a run or hit. He struck out one and hit four batters.
James Island 3, River Bluff 1
The defending champion Trojans won the deciding game in the Class 5A Division I Lower State baseball series.
James Island will face Dorman in the championship series beginning Tuesday.
River Bluff, which rallied from 9-0 on Thursday to force a deciding game, took a 1-0 lead on Sam Turner’s sacrifice fly in the top of the first.
The Trojans scored twice in the bottom of the second, one coming on a wild pitch to lead 2-1. James Island added another run in the third inning.
River Bluff had runners on first and second with two outs in the seventh, but Taj Marchand got the final out to seal the win. Brayden Easterling got the win and Marchand the save.
Finn Pratt was 2 for 3 with an RBI for James Island.
Saluda softball postponed
The Class 2A Upper State softball championship featuring Chesnee at Saluda was postponed because of rain and will be played at 11 a.m. Monday.
This story was originally published May 23, 2026 at 1:22 PM.
