Hammond baseball back in championship series. Midlands softball teams win districts

Lou Bezjak
·4 min read

After a brief absence, the Hammond baseball team is back in the state championship series.

The Skyhawks used a five-run fifth inning to defeat Pinewood Prep, 8-2, on Wednesday in a SCISA 4A semifinal matchup.

Hammond will play Augusta Christian in the best-of-3 championship series beginning on Monday in Augusta. It is the Skyhawks’ third championship appearance since 2019.

Hammond won titles in 2019 and 2021.

“It has been a few years but it feels like forever,” Hammond coach Chris Braciszewski said. We look forward to playing against Augusta Christian.

“This group is special. We had our preseason meeting in December. A lot of these guys played behind some guys for so many years. But they worked hard in practice and always prepared. Now, they took advantage of their shot.”

One of those players was Wyatt Barrett, who played behind MLB Draft pick Tucker Toman last season. Barrett pitched five strong innings in relief of starter Luke Weinbach.

“He really stepped up and I am proud of him,” Braciszewski said of Barrett.

Barrett allowed one run on three hits to pick up the win. He also was 1-for-2 with an RBI.

Leading 3-2 going into the fifth. Hammond scored five runs, two coming on Michael Aitchinson’s single to score Ray Watson and Evan Todd.

Jack Croft and William Hudson each had two hits for Hammond.

Hammond went 0-2 this season against Augusta Christian, losing by a combined total of three runs.

SCHSL Class 4A

▪ Lugoff-Elgin 3, Greer 2 (9): Cobe Evans had a walk-off double in the bottom of the ninth to keep the Demons alive in the postseason. Lugoff-Elgin travels to South Florence on Friday for the Bracket championship game. L-E will need two wins over SF to advance

Girls Soccer

▪ Waccamaw 8, Dreher 1: Corine Gregory scored her 100th career goal as Waccamaw ended the Blue Devils’ playoff run in the Class 3A Lower State championship match. Wacamaw will play Travelers Rest for the state championship.

▪ Porter-Gaud 2, Hammond 1: Anna Kahn scored in the 68th minute as the Cyclones defeated the Skyhawks in the SCISA Class 4A semifinals. Madeline Gerland had Hammond’s lone goal in the 47th minute to tie it at 1-1.

▪ Pinewood Prep 4, Cardinal Newman 0: The Cardinals’ season ended in the SCISA 4A semifinals.

Softball

Class 5A

▪ Lexington 15, Blythewood 0: Maggie Hinz and Addison Hoffner each had two RBI as the Wildcats won the District 2 championship. Lexington travels to Dorman on Friday in the first round of the Upper State playoffs.

▪ Chapin 5, Ashley Ridge 4: Leah Cabe had a two-run, go-ahead double in the bottom of the sixth to help the Eagles win the District 6 championship. Chapin travels to Wando or St. James in the Lower State playoffs on Friday.

▪ Dorman 4, Dutch Fork 2: The Cavaliers scored three runs in the third to defeat the Silver Foxes in the District 1 championship game.

Class 3A

▪ Loris 3, Gilbert 1: The Indians lost on the road in the District 5 championship game.

▪ Dillon 3, Camden 0: Paige Sherman tossed a two-hit shutout as the Bulldogs’ season ended in the District 7 championship game.

▪ Aynor 6, Swansea 4: Dazejah Lanham had a two-run homer as Tigers rallied from a 6-0 deficit but came up short in the District 8 championship game.

Class 2A

▪ Mid-Carolina 15, Liberty 3: Symari Bowers, Amber Hughes and Savannah Moore each had two RBI as the Rebels won the District 2 championship. M-C travels to Chesnee in the first game of the Upper State playoffs on Friday.

▪ Gray Collegiate 13, Abbeville 1: Aspen Boulware and Maddox Long each homered as the War Eagles won the District 4 championship. Long finished with four RBI and Madison Knapper had three. Gray is at Strom Thurmond in the first game of the Upper State playoffs on Friday.

▪ Chesnee 7, Saluda 0: The Tigers’ season ended in the District 1 championship game.