Walk-offs, Dynasties and Redemption: South Carolina Baseball Crowns Five State Champions

James Island exorcised postseason demons while Chapin, A.C. Flora, Southside Christian, Clinton and Latta completed SCHSL championship runs.

James Island Charter School players pile together on the River Bluff High School mound following the Game Three victory. | Thomas Grant Jr.

It was an exciting day of high school state championship baseball, Saturday, in South Carolina as the South Carolina High School League (SCHSL) crowned five state champions. Here is a look back at each title game.

James Island Conquers the Past in Class 5A Division I

This was one of two best-of-three finals decided Saturday at a neutral site.

The Trojans were successful last year in winning Game 3 over Lexington in extra innings at Riley Park in Sumter.

Class 5A Division I champion James Island | Thomas Grant Jr.

This year’s neutral site location at River Bluff High School was a bit more ominous. Just nine days earlier in Game Two of the Lower State finals, the Trojans squandered a 9-0 lead in The Swamp and lost 11-10.

“We got together as a staff and then as a team and said, ‘We had to conquer some demons, and this was the place that we wanted to do it,'” James Island head coach Matt Spivey said.

James Island pitcher Taj Marchand tosses cap in the air after he ends the game with a strikeout. | Thomas Grant Jr.

James Island once again jumped out to an early lead. It took a 2-0 lead in the bottom the first inning on an RBI single by Finn Pratt and RBI fielder’s choice by Brady Dantzler.

From there, it was a pitcher’s duel between Brayden Easterling of James Island and Cooper Hornick of Dorman. Both threw four innings and matched each other with two strikeouts and holding the opposition scoreless from the second through fourth innings.

Marchand Delivers in the Biggest Moment

Each was also relieved by their respective team’s top player in the fifth inning. All-State and Major League Baseball projected draft pick Taj Marchand replaced Easterling for James Island. Class 5A Division I Player of the Year Patrick Hornick was moved from second base to the mound for Dorman.

With two outs in the Top 6th inning, Marchand gave up a walk and two singles to load the bases. The Cavaliers could not capitalize as States Farr struck out to end the threat.

“We needed someone to come through,” Marchand said. “I needed to come through that moment. I did and that’s what needed to happen.”

James Island jumped on its bases-loaded opportunity in the bottom half of the inning. Connor Dantzler drove in a run with a fielder’s choice and Pratt belted a two-run single into centerfield.

After giving up a leadoff single in the seventh to Luke Thompson, Marchand retired the final three batters to end the series. Following the game-ending strikeout of Connor Wells, Marchand tossed his cap high into the air as teammates piled on the mound in celebration.

“It’s hard to get back here,” Spivey said. “It’s hard to win 31 baseball games. But my guys show up and work every day. They put the work in and here we are.”

Chapin's New Era Begins with a Title in Class 5A Division II

Growing up 25 minutes from the school, Dell Lever was cognizant of what type of head coaching job he accepted at Chapin High School.

Having served as an assistant coach at rival schools Irmo, Dutch Fork, White Knoll and Lexington, he saw firsthand how rich Lexington County and portions of Richland County are in baseball talent.

Class 5A Division II champion Chapin High School | Thomas Grant Jr.

He was also taking over a program with high expectations. Only Bamberg-Ehrhardt has won more state titles (16) than the Eagles, who have enjoyed a run of coaches with longtime success.

Chapin athletics director Billie Williams, head coach Dell Lever and Principal Ed Davis | Thomas Grant Jr.

Presented with those benefits and challenges, Lever proved more than worthy as a successor to the school’s winningest head coach Scott McLeod. With the sweep of three-time finalist T.L. Hanna, he guided the Eagles to a 12th state title with an unblemished postseason record.

“First season coming in, I remember sitting in the room with our AD (Billie) Williams and our principal Davis and talking about how special this place is,” Lever said. “You know, I live here. I grew up 25 minutes down the road. I literally live five minutes away. I’ve been at other schools in our region for the last 10 years, knowing what was over here in this dugout being in that dugout calling pitches, I knew the pieces were here.

“This is a talent-rich area. Just a baseball hotbed. I told these guys when I met them, I was like ‘man, this is a special place. This is a special group of kids.’ And man, they have really, really just bought into what we did.”

Among the players showcasing that talent in the 7-3 Game 1 victory in Anderson was David Greer. He drove in five runs on three hits as Chapin rallied from an early 2-0 deficit.

On the mound, Mac Berry allowed just two hits and struck out eight in five innings. Cooper Derrick then closed out the victory in allowing just one run on one hit and striking out three.

It was déjà vu in Game 2 as the Eagles fell behind 2-0 at home. This time, senior Felix Flecha Ruiz provided the offensive heroics as he belted a game-tying two-run homer in the Bottom 1st.

In the fourth inning, Ruiz put Chapin ahead for good with his second home run. It was a solo blast over the rightfield wall.

Chapin senior Felix Flecha Ruiz heading to homeplate. | Thomas Grant Jr.

Luke Cromer added an RBI single in the inning to put Chapin up 4-2. The Yellow Jackets managed one more run off starter Griff Harper on an RBI single by Reece Oakley.

Chapin reliever Brewer Haggard shut down any hopes for a Game 3. Entering the game with two baserunners aboard and one out, Haggard got Pfifer Glenn to ground out and struck out Carlos Ochoa for the third out.

T.L. Hanna had a final opportunity after Jayden Robinson’s leadoff single in the seventh inning. Instead, Oakley hit into a double play and Haggard got Tatum Manning to ground out to end the series.

Built for the Big Moments

“We joked earlier in the season (that) we were like the masters of one-run games,” he said. “It always came down to one run near the end whether we won or lost. But we really started preaching a month ago about moments.

“That’s kind of been our mantra up until this point is just moments. We never know what moments are going to make or break a game. So, if we can stay calm and just relax in set moment, more often than not, we’re going to be successful and then once we got into this playoff run, our mantra became “one more” – one more pitch, one more play and so forth. If we can just relax and play “one more, one more”, we’re more likely than not going to have a positive ending on the scoreboard.”

A.C. Flora Blanks Airport for Class 4A Championship

A year ago, it was the Eagles celebrating with fireworks on their homefield after winning their first-ever title.

A.C. Flora coaches and players hold the Class 4A title trophy | Thomas Grant Jr.

This time, the visiting Falcons used Eagle Stadium as centerstage to its own celebration. A series that was delayed three days and 3 ½ hours into a fourth finally concluded quickly with a 2-game sweep.

A.C. Flora pulled out a 2-1 victory in 10 innings at Falcon Field. It was well past midnight when Logan Price delivered a walk-off RBI single.

The next night, the Falcons took control early. An RBI single by Roper Wentzky put them ahead 1-0 in the first inning.

A.C. Flora head coach Allen Hallett holds the Class 4A title trophy with S.C. High School League Deputy Commissioner Charles Wentzky. | Thomas Grant Jr.

As A.C. Flora made it 3-0 in the fourth inning, starter Sam McCutcheon ensured the lead held up. He extended the streak of shutout innings pitched by the Falcons to 16 as he allowed just four hits.

Charlie Scott added a solo home run in the Top 6th. McCutcheon then ended the series with his 10th strikeout.

Hallett's Final Championship

For A.C. Flora, it was more than just an eighth state championship. All the titles were won under head coach Andy Hallett, who two months earlier announced his pending departure at the conclusion of the playoffs.

This would be his final one with the Falcons after 29 years at the helm. Afterwards, an emotional Hallett reflected on his Hall of Fame career in Columbia.

A Farewell Worth Celebrating

“It’s been a wonderful ride for me,” Hallett said. “(It was) 29 years ago, a man...took a chance on a guy that never been a head coach. I told him I was going to build a championship-caliber team and a program.

“He said ‘How you’re going to do that? We’ve never been here before.’ I told him it would be fundamentals and discipline. In four years, we hoisted our first trophy. And the one thing I’m probably the proudest of is we’ve been relevant for 30 years. We’ve won across three decades. Our kids have always bought into my system. I think we coach our rosters really well from speed teams to power teams, we do our philosophy based on what’s in our dugout, not what we believe and I think our kids are really good at responding to that.

“It is a sad day. Twenty-nine years is a long time if you’re 57 years old. But as the road goes, every road comes to an end and I’m really proud and happy my road has ended at A.C. Flora.”

Adding to the special nature of the title were the Falcons closing the year with 17 consecutive wins. This included a 9-0 postseason record.

Class 4A champion A.C. Flora | S.C. High School League

Southside Christian Joins Elite Company with Class 3A Title

Prior to Friday, only Bamberg-Ehrhardt (1974-81) and Lake View (2000-05) had managed to win five consecutive South Carolina High School League titles.

In dramatic fashion, the Sabres joined the exclusive club. After winning Game One 7-2 in Mount Pleasant, Southside Christian returned home and found themselves trailing 2-1 after the first inning.

Class 3A champion Southside Christian | S.C. High School League

Kaden Graham tied the game at 2-2 in the second inning with an RBI single. Oceanside Collegiate Academy responded with three runs, including a two-run homer by Tanner Fleming, in the Top 3rd to go up 5-2.

A two-run homer in the bottom half of the inning by Carson Boleman cut the deficit to 5-4. Jaden Wiggs tied the game in the fourth inning with a single.

A two-run single by Christopher O’Leary gave the Landsharks a 7-5 lead in the Top 6th. Southside Christian then loaded the bases in the bottom half of the inning to begin its final rally.

After an RBI fielder’s choice by Beckett DeSario, C.J. Aubuchon belted the go-ahead two-run single.

“I had two strikes on me, but I felt confident,” Aubuchon said. “I got a pitch I liked and banged it. It ended up coming down to my spot, and I got it done. It’s just a surreal feeling. Kinda crazy.” 

Young's Walk-Off Delivers Another Class 2A Crown for Clinton

The state final matchup featured the S.C. Baseball Coaches Association’s Co-Players of the Year on opposing benches.

On the side of the Red Devils was senior catcher Luke Young, who set a school record for home runs. He shared the top honor with Fighting Armada pitcher/outfielder Logan Newcomb.

Class 2A champion Clinton High School | S.C. High School League

With the score tied at 4-4 in Game 2 in the eighth inning, the game came down to a head-to-head of MVPs.

Newcomb entered the game in relief as he looked to keep Atlantic Collegiate Academy’s title hopes alive after a 5-1 loss in Game One. Young was seeking to give Clinton its 10th straight win, an 8-0 playoff record and a second state title in four years.

Swinging on the first pitch, Young accomplished all three goals as the ball sailed 380-feet, over the left-centerfield wall, for the 5-4 walk-off victory.

It was his team-record 13th home run of the season, but just the fourth hit of the game for the Red Devils.

“I took a good swing at it,” Young said. “All of my teammates were up on the (dugout) fence, yelling that I got it,” Young said. “It was the same with just everybody in the stands. It’s unbelievable how much this community is behind us.”

Clinton finished the season with a 31-3 record.

Latta Finishes the Job in Class A

The last state final game played Saturday provided another dramatic ending.

Class A champion Latta | S.C. High School League

Trailing 2-1 in the Bottom 6th, Caden Hyatt hit the go-ahead two-run double. It was his second hit of the game.

Starter B.W. Berry then struck out the final three batters for the complete game victory. He allowed five hits, two to Hayden Griggs, two runs, both on a single by Hunter Griggs, and finished with 10 strikeouts.

This was the first state title for Latta (27-10) since 2018 and 10th all-time. It’s now tied with Bishop England for third most all-time behind Bamberg-Ehrhardt and Chapin.