SC playoffs are here! Rock Hill-area first-round baseball, softball scores

The first round of the South Carolina state baseball and softball playoffs began on Friday night — and several high schools in York, Chester and Lancaster counties were in action.

Here’s what you need to know. Check back throughout the weekend for updates.

Baseball scores, results

Friday

Dorman 10, Nation Ford 1

The Dorman Cavaliers rapped out 11 hits and toppled the Nation Ford Falcons 10-1 in the first round of the 5A District 2 tournament at Dorman.

The Cavaliers scored twice in the third to take a 2-1 lead. They used a six-run fourth inning to up the count to 8-1, and they cruised from there for the victory.

Hudson Lee led Dorman with a pair of hits and 4RBI.

Aaron Pendergast led Nation Ford with three hits.

The Falcons are now 18-9. They will play at Blythewood in an elimination game on Monday.

York 8, Eastside 2

The York Cougars defeated the Eastside Eagles 8-2 in the opening round of the 4A District 2 tournament in York.

The Cougars made the most of seven hits and took full advatage of five Eastside miscues.

The Eagles took a early 1-0 lead, but the Cougars tallied twice in the third to erase the deficit.

Cooper Parks had a run-scoring double and Hunter Latham added an RBI single in the rally.

York tacked on five more runs in the fourth to take a 7-1 advantage.

Jack Peeler led the outburst with a two-run double. Landon Sexton and Parks added run-scoring singles, and the final run scored on a passed ball.

Britton Adams worked six innings and picked up the win for York.

The Cougars are now 21-6. They will host A. C. Flora on Monday in a winner’s bracket contest.

Saturday

Hillcrest 5, Northwestern 3

The Hillcrest Rams defeated the Northwestern Trojans 5-3 in the first round of the 5A District 1 tournament at Hillcrest.

The Trojans took a 2-0 lead after one inning. Hillcrest ralled to a take a 3-2 advantage after two frames. They tacked on another run in the third for a 4-2 cushion.

Northwestern countered with a run in the fourth. Hillcrest answered with a score in the fifth for a 5-3 lead, and they hung for the victory.

Both starting pitchers went the distance.

Colin Elmore worked seven innings, allowed six hits and struck out five to earn the win. Ethan Darden went six innings, allowed six hits, and struck out seven. He took the loss.

Brady Jeffcoat led Hillcrest with two hits and two RBI. Colin Stevens added a hit and drove in a pair of runs.

Ben Venables led the Trojans with two hits and one RBI. Sydney Mullennix added a hit and knocked in two runs.

The loss dropped the Trojans to 12-6. They will travel to Boiling Springs on Monday for an elimination game.

Laurens 4, Catawba Ridge 1

The Laurens Raiders defeated the Catawba Ridge Copperheads 4-1 in the opening round of the District 1 tournament at Laurens.

The Raiders collected nine hits and took advantage of three Copperhead errors in earning the victory.

The Copperheads, who managed only two hits in the game, took a 1-0 lead in the first, but the Raiders tied the count with a run in the second. Laurens used a three-run fourth to take a 4-1 lead.

Catawba Ridge dropped to 15-11 with the loss. They will travel to play Easley on Monday in an elimination game.

Lewisville 7, Dixie 3

The Lewisvile Lions topped the Dixie Hornets 7-3 in the first round of the District 2 tournament at Richburg.

Dixie took a 1-0 lead in the first, but the Lions rallied for two in the third to take a 2-1 advantage. Lewisvile broke the game open with three runs in the fifth.

After Dixie scored twice in the sixth, the Lions answered with a pair of insurance runs for a 7-3 lead.

Chip Bowman led the Lions with a pair of hits and two RBI. Ben Coyle added two hits and drove in one run. Both had run-scoring singles in the sixth when the Lions added their two insurance runs.

Coyle pitched a complete game and got the win. He allowed six hits and struck out three.

The Lions improved the 17-7 with the victory. They will play Whitmire at home on Monday in a winner’s bracket game.

Ridge Spring-Monetta 3, Great Falls 2

The Ridge Spring-Monetta Trojans edged the Great Falls Red Devils 3-2 in the first round of the 1A District 1 tournament in Monetta.

The Red Devils fell to 3-10 with the loss. They will travel to play Southside Christian on Monday in an elimination game.

Softball results

Friday

Dorman 6, Fort Mill 4

The Dorman Cavaliers toppled the Fort Mill Yellow Jackets 6-4 in the opening round of the 5A District 1 tournament in Fort Mill.

Dorman collected 12 hits and took advantge of three Fort Mill errors in picking up the win.

The Yellow Jackets, who got seven hits, took a 3-0 lead with a pair of runs in the first and one in the second. Dorman cut the deficit to 3-2 with two runs in the third.

The Cavaliers tallied four times in the fourth to take a 6-4 lead and held on for the win.

Maddie Drerup led Fort Mill with a home run and two runs batted in.

The Yellow Jackets fell to 13-4 on the year. They will host Spring Valley on Monday in an elimination game.

Byrnes 12, Clover 2

The Byrnes Rebels defeated the Clover Blue Eagles 12-2 in the first round of the 5A District 2 tournament in Duncan.

The loss dropped Clover to 14-9 on the year. They will play at Blythewood on Monday in an elimination game.

Seneca 10, Chester 0

The Seneca Bobcats pounded out 15 hits and routed the Chester Cyclones 10-0 in the opening round of the 3A District 2 tournament at Seneca.

The Bobcats scored six runs in the second inning to break the game open early. They added four more over the next three frames.

Emily Williams worked five innings, allowed only one hit, and struck out nine in getting the win.

Chester fell to 7-7 on the year and will host Blue Ridge in an elimination game on Monday.

Ninety Six 4, Legion Collegiate 3

The Ninety Six Wildcats edged the Legion Collegiate Lancers 4-3 in the first round of the 2A District 2 tournament in Rock Hill.

The loss dropped the Lancers to 17-6 overall. They will host Landrum on Monday in an elimination game.

Dixie 1, Lewisville 0

Dixie scored the only run of the game in the bottom of the third and edged the Lewisville Lions 1-0 in the first round of the 1A District 1 tournament at Due West.

Ashton Crocker drove in the run with a two-out single.

The loss dropped the Lions to 11-8 on the year. They will host Ware Shoals on Monday in an elimination game.

Saturday

Catawba Ridge 11, Greer 0

The Catawba Ridge Copperheads routed the Greer Yellow Jackets 11-0 in the opening round of the 4A District 1 tournament at Greer.

When the Copperheads scored four runs in the fifth inning they had a 6-0 lead. They added five more in the sixth.

The Copperheads improve to 19-7 on the year. They will play at Travelers Rest on Monday in a winner’s bracket game.

Indian Land 2, Greenwood 1

The Indian Land Warriors nipped the Greenwood Eagles 2-1 in the first round of the 4A District 2 tournament at Indian Land.

Greenwood broke a scoreless tie with a run in the top of the seventh. The Warriors answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame to earn the victory.

The Warriors improve to 13-5 with the victory. They will host Lugoff-Elgin on Monday in a winner’s bracket contest.

Andrew Jackson 5, Latta 0

The Andrew Jackson Volunteers defeated the Latta Vikings 5-0 the first round of 2A District 4 tournament at Latta.

The Volunteers, who got only three hits, scored all of their runs in the fifth inning.

Maddie Adams, MacKenzie Marshall, and Brianna Kennington got the three hits for the Vols. Kennington got the only RBI. Andrew Jackson took full advantage of three Vikings’ errors in scoring the rest of their runs.

Skylar Huffman pitched a complete game and picked up the win. She scattered four hits and struck out seven.

The Volunteers are now 12-6 on the year. They will travel to Barnwell to take on the War Horses in a winner’s bracket game on Monday.

I don’t understand the first round of the baseball and softball SCHSL playoffs. What happens now?

The first round, which is being played now, will provide eight “district” winners in each classification throughout the state. The four in the upper state will play a double elimination tournament, which will result in an Upper State champion.

That team will the play a best-of-three series with the lower state winner to determine the state champion in each classification.

This story was originally published May 14, 2021 at 11:37 PM.