Eight to be inducted in inaugural class for American Legion Baseball Hall of Fame on November 2

Eagles sweep best-of-3 series against Holly Hill Academy

Lions beat Cardinal Newman 8-0 in deciding game of series

Powdersville wins the SCHSL Class AAA Baseball State Title

Summerville – After last experiencing that championship feeling in 2013, the Lexington High baseball program revisited glory by winning the 2024 Class AAAAA state title with a two-game sweep of Ashley Ridge in the best-of-three championship series. The Wildcats (26-6) used strong pitching, timely hitting, and a little luck to secure the championship after having to wait a week longer to play the series. The championship series was delayed after an issue in the Lower State championship between Ashley Ridge and Summerville. Summerville initially won the Lower State decisive game, 6-4 in eight innings, but was found to have violated pitching rules resulting in a forfeit. Summerville appealed the forfeit to the SCHSL executive committee, eventually losing that appeal. The championship series began on May 23 with game one in Lexington. The Wildcats won game one, 1-0, despite managing only two hits in the game. Lexington scored the lone run on a first-inning wild pitch and senior pitcher Jackson Burton tossed a complete game three-hitter. Game two, at Ashley Ridge, saw the home team grab an early 1-0 lead despite leaving the bases loaded in the first inning. “Not giving up a crooked number right there was huge for us,” Lexington head coach Brian Hucks said. “That was the whole key to the game. We were able to hold serve and keep it close. We just wanted to keep the game close and give ourselves a chance.” Lexington managed just one hit through four innings off Ashley Ridge starting pitcher Noah Seguer . “He was good but we just had to be patient and try to have good at bats and make him work,” Huck said. The Wildcats finally broke through offensively with two runs in the fifth, getting RBI’s from Will Burgess and Brandon Crom er to take a 2-1 lead. In the sixth, Toby Sobieralski doubled and scored on a Ryder Kellis squeeze bunt to take a 3-1 lead. Ashley Ridge again loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh. With one out, Cromer, who came into the close the game in the sixth, struggled with control in the seventh. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases and Cromer fell behind 3-0 to Andrew McLaughlin . A high and tight fastball appeared to be ball four but the pitch caught the knob of the bat for a foul ball. Cromer took advantage with a key strikeout and ended the game with a fly ball to right. “Kind of the story in the series,” Bellush said. “We got runners on in game one and tonight but we just couldn’t come up with the big hit. That’s baseball. We had our chances to win both games. We just were a little short.” Hucks was pleased with his team getting over the hump for the first time in more than a decade. Lexington is a perennial title contender and has been favored in several years. “It takes luck, takes some breaks, no doubt,” the coach said. “The ball sometimes didn’t bounce our way. We got a break with T.L. Hanna losing their first game in the district and that allowed us to play at home all through the upper state. Sometimes you need a break like that to win it. Our kids played with great toughness and character all through the postseason.” While disappointed with the way the 2024 season ended, Bellush came away from the losses with a lot of pride and love for his team. Ashley Ridge, a team that entered the AAAAA playoffs with only six regular season wins, got hot late and won seven postseason games before the losses to Lexington. “I told these guys they will forever have a special place in my heart for the way they came together and just battled their way into an opportunity to win a state championship,” said Bellush, who led the program to a state title in 2012. “No one gave us a chance and we used that as motivation. This team just kept battling and fighting and they have nothing to hang their heads about. We wanted to win the state championship. We came up short. But this team is a really special group.”

Bears rally to beat defending champion Aynor 9-8 in deciding game

By Billy G. Baker Publisher Lewisville - Championship games have defining moments, and when Lewisville shortstop Saleena Rollins laid-out to snag a lined drive, destined for the power rally, with a Lake View runner on first in the 4 th inning, she got up off the ground, threw a bullet to first for a double play to end the inning, with her stellar play changing the momentum of game two of the Class A state championship softball series. Despite being down to the Wild Gators, 5-1 at the time of the double-play, the Lions came to bat in the bottom of the 4 th , plating three runs, to cut the deficit to 5-4. Lewisville went on to win the game 8-6 playing like a different team after Rollins defensive play. It was Lewisville’s first state title since 2018. After the game, Lewisville head coach Jerry Thomas told the HSSR , “I thought we did everything in the world to give the game away early, but the girl’s kept fighting back, and made some plays to get back in the game,” said Coach Thomas. “The double play Rollins got was a big momentum swing and her stealing home got us right back in the game. “This is what we had hoped to accomplish this season after getting close last season,” said Coach Thomas. “We have high expectations for this program and this is where we strive to be every season. I am just so excited for the girl’s and the fact they worked hard all season for this moment.” Lewisville only had two senior starters ( Saleena Rollins and Emma Dorsey ) who started the game against Lake View. “ Sarah Owens is our sophomore pitcher so we look forward to having her back for two more years and we start a lot of 8 th and 9 th graders up and down the roster. We expect to be back in the finals next year. We start on next year right away. “Getting down early was very concerning to us because Lake View is a great team with solid pitching,” said Coach Thomas. “I kept wondering when we were going to get back in it. As the game went on, we starting getting back in it and making some things happen at the plate. We kept telling the players to keep focused and keep grinding and it all worked out for us.” Owens was a key performer in the circle for the Lions. “Our goal was always to be the last team standing,” said Rollins after the game. “We came into this season with a strong desire to win a state championship. This is an unbelievable experience for me and all of my teammates. Saleena’s doble play gave us some momentum and plays like that always help us. “I really love throwing the rise ball,” said Owens. “We wanted our practice yesterday to be our last practice of the season. We worked extra hard to finish it today. I would love to experience this feeling two more times before I graduate.” Veteran Lake View head coach Brandy Huggins bid a farewell to All-State seniors Raven Locklear and the team’s top hitter Emma King . “They have both been starters since the 7 th grade and I have never coached two better athletes with great determination and drive,” said Coach Huggins. “They were true leaders of the team this season and I couldn’t be more- prouder of them two. Coach Huggins, finishing up her 12 th season as the head coach at Lake View said she was very proud of all the hard work put in by the entire team that finished with a 17-7 record. “These girls worked hard all season and I am very proud of each and all of them. We got up early and left everything on the field but we just couldn’t get that hit when we needed it later in the game.” However, give Lake View credit. They built a 5-1 lead after three innings, and they played like the more determined team early in the game. The game began with Lake View lead-off batter Emma King being hit-by-pitch and then Khole Cox reached on a walk. Lake View pitcher Raven Locklair next reached on an error to load the bases. King scored from third on a wild pitch to give LV an early 1-0 lead. Lewisville tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the first. Junior catcher Jordan Miller hit a one-out double to the right corner. Miller came in on an RBI single by Molly Dease , two batters later, to tie the game. Lake View exploded with four runs in the top of the third inning. Carleigh Matthews led off with a walk. Emma King then hit a hard-to-hit-ball that got by an infielder for a two- base error resulting in Matthews being out on a force play as King ending up on second due to a throwing error. Locklair’s hard hit grounder was also mis-handled scoring King for Lake View’s second run. Hanna Colburn then singled to put runners on first and third. Then Hollie Scott hit a three-run homer over the left field fence and Lake had a 5-1 lead in the top of the 4 th inning. In the bottom of the 4 th Lewisville cut into the deficit with three runs. Sarah Ashley led off with a double to left. Dease singled up the middle to score courtesy runner Emma Dorsey to make it 5-2. Kyleigh Fletcher got a two-out walk and stole second. With runners on second and third Kinley Lambert hit a bloop single that scored both Dease and Fletcher to make it a 5-4 game. In the top of the 5 th Lake View scored their final run of the game. Locklear tagged a one-out double to the center field fence. Two batters later Scott singled in Locklair to put Lake View up 6-4. In the bottom of the 5 th Lewisville rallied with four runs that gave them the Class A state championship. Rollins led off and reached on a hit-by-pitch. Miller singled and then Rollins, after briefly stopping at third, took off to steal home under the tag of the LV catcher that made it a 6-5 game. Rolling’s heads up play got the home crowd on their feet. Ashley then singled in Miller to tie the game at 6. Dease then got her third hit of the day scoring Ashley to give Lewisville a 7-6 lead. The Lions scored their final run of the game on a Lambert’s SAC bunt that brought in Dease. Coach Thomas provided the HSSR with final stats for the Lions on the season. The top three hitters were Saleena Rollins (.506 with 25 RBI’s). Owens (.431 & 36 RBI’s) and Jordyn Miller (.425 with 25 RBI’s). Rollins led the team with 49 runs followed by Sydney Owens (27 runs) and Miller (25 runs scored). In the home run department four players hit two or more bombs during the season. Miller led the way with four home runs followed by Rollins and Sarah Owens with three each. Fletcher contributed two round-trippers. Saleena Rollins led the team in stolen bases with 19 followed by Sydney Rollins with 11. Owens, just a sophomore, has an outstanding season in the circle. She had 20 wins, 195 strike-outs and finished with a 1.64 ERA. Against Lake View she gave 8 hits and had 6 strike-outs. Top hitters for Lewisville during the game were Dease who went 3-for-3 with two RBI’s, Miller who went 2-for-3 including a double and two RBI’s. Owens was 2-of-three including a double and two RBIs also. Kenley Lambert had a single as did Kylie Waggoner . Locklear closed out an outstanding six- year career at Lake View, both in the circle and at the plate. Locklear ended the season batting around .430. She had 15 wins her senior season and her ERA was around 1.50. For game two she had four strike-outs while giving up 9 hits. Top hitters for Lake View in game two included: Scott who had a three- run homer and two singles. Kaylan Turner contributed two singles, and Locklear had a double. Kayleigh Blackmon had a single along with Zy’Kiara Waters .

Summerville defeated Lexington 10-0 May 23 to repeat as the Class 5A Softball State Champion.

Larry Gamble Photo Editor, HSSR SCHSL Softball Championship play from May 22nd, 2024, with teams from Gray Collegiate and Marion dueling it out in a game two, winner takes the trophy contest. The HSSR photojournalist was at Gray Collegiate for their home stand in the Softball Championship Game 2 hosting Marion. Gray won to sweep Marion, 2 games to none, in the best of three series. More photos from this game are available by following this link or the one below. High resolution prints and digital downloads from this event are available at www.LarryGamble.com by clicking this link to the photos.

Landsharks sweep Mid-Carolina to win AA crown