Latta can clinch Class A baseball state title with win over McBee at home on Tuesday

    Sumter – The Latta High School baseball team will be going for the Class A state championship on Tuesday, while four of the other best-of-3 state title series will be getting underway.   

    Latta will play host to McBee at 7 p.m. with a chance to sweep the series. The lower state champion Vikings improved to 26-9 on the season by traveling to McBee and winning 11-1 in six innings on Saturday.

    The series starting on Tuesday will have James Island playing at Dorman beginning at 7 p.m. for the AAAAA Division I crown, Chapin visiting T.L. Hanna beginning at 6:30 p.m. in AAAAA Division II, Airport making the drive across the Columbia metropolitan area for a 7 p.m. game at A.C. Flora in AAAA, and Southside Christian School playing at Oceanside Collegiate Academy beginning at 6 p.m. in the AAA series.

    Game 1 of the AA title series between Clinton and Atlantic Collegiate Academy was scheduled for Monday at 5p.m. in Clinton. The second game is scheduled for Tuesday at 6 p.m. in Conway.

    In the Class A opener, Latta and the upper state champion Panthers, who fell to 21-12-1, were tied 1-1 after three innings. However, the Vikings broke the game open with five runs in the top of the fourth before adding one in the fifth and four in the sixth to win by the 10-run mercy rule.

    Leading the way for LHS’ 10-hit attack was Zach Lane, who was 3-for-4 with a double, two runs batted in and two runs scored. Caden Hyatt was 2-for-2 with a double, three RBI and a run.

    Mason Weatherford had a home run, two RBI and a run, Logan Byrd had a double and a run, Fischer Richardson had a hit and two RBI, Bryson Berry had a hit, two runs and an RBI, and BW Berry had a hit.

    BW Berry went the distance on the mound to get the win. He allowed four hits while walking four and striking out seven. The run was unearned.

    If a third game is needed, it will be played on Saturday at a neutral site.

    In the AAAAA Division I series, James Island will be going for a third straight state title. The lower state champion Trojans are 29-2, the same record at upper state winner Dorman.

    Game 2 is scheduled for Thursday in Charleston beginning at 6:30 p.m. If a third game is needed it will be played on Saturday at a neutral site.

    In AAAAA Division II, upper state champion T.L. Hanna will take an 18-16 record into the opener. The lower state champion Eagles are 20-9.

    The second game is set for Thursday in Chapin with a 6:30 p.m. start. A third game would be played at a neutral site on Saturday.

    Upper state champion A.C. Flora will take a 27-5 record into the AAAA series against lower state champion Airport, which is 24-6. Game 2 is scheduled for Thursday in West Columbia beginning at 7 p.m.

    If a third game is necessary it will be played on Saturday at A.C. Flora beginning at 1 p.m.

    The AAA series between upper state champion Southside Christian (24-8-1) and lower state winner Oceanside Collegiate (24-9) was set to begin on Saturday but was postponed.

    Game 2 is to be played on Thursday in Simpsonville beginning at 6 p.m. with a deciding game on Saturday at a neutral site.

    The AA series was also set to begin on Saturday as well before the opener was postponed. Upper state winner Clinton was 28-3 heading into the opening game while the lower state Armada was 29-3.

    If a third game is needed, it will be played on Saturday at Lugoff-Elgin at a time to be determined.