Top high school performers this week as baseball and softball reach Upper State finals
Here are the top performers in Upstate high school athletics this week, highlighted by baseball and softball reaching district championships. Check back throughout the week for updates.
Saturday
Boys
Baseball
Palmer Hornick, Dorman: Hornick hit a home run and pitched three perfect innings with four strikeouts as the Cavaliers beat Dutch Fork, 3-2, to stay alive in the Class AAAAA Upper State championship. The Cavaliers play at home Monday in an elimination game against J.L. Mann.
Eli Hudgens, Powdersville: Hudgins went 3-for-4 with a double as Powdersville beat Blue Ridge, 5-1, in the opening game of the Class AAA Upper State finals.
Blane Jordan, Powdersville: Jordan pitched six innings and allowed one run on four hits with five strikeouts and no walks.
George Massingill, Southside Christian: Massingill pitched a three-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts to beat Christ Church, 6-0, in the opening game of the Class A Upper State championship bracket. Southside Christian will play host Wednesday in the title game with two chances to win it.
Aaron Tolbert, Easley: Tolbert had two hits, drove in a run and scored one as the Green Wave eliminated Riverside, 7-5, in Class AAAA.
Friday
Boys
Baseball
Spencer Conn, Daniel: Conn hit a home run as the Lions beat Fountain Inn, 6-2, in the opening round of the four-team Class AAA Upper State finals.
Luke Jones, J.L. Mann: Jones was one out away from a complete game as the Patriots beat the Cavaliers. 3-1, in the first game in AAAAA. He struck out six and allowed seven hits.
Ian McCrary, Daniel: McCrary pitched a complete game and allowed one earned run on eight hits while striking out nine and walking two.
Girls
Softball
Liv Hall, Belton-Honea Path: Hall went 3-for-3 with a triple, drove in three runs and scored two in a 7-1 win against Palmetto in the first round of the Class AAA Upper State championship bracket. She finished the week 5-for-6.
Kaylee Hannon, Byrnes: Hannon was 3-for-4 with a double and five RBIs in an 18-1 win against T.L. Hanna in Class AAAAA.
Kaitlynn Jackson, Woodruff: Jackson homered, singled and drove in three runs as Woodruff beat Pendleton, 7-4, for a district championship in Class AAA.
Kinsley Kay, Belton-Honea Path: Kay won her second game of the week, finishing 14 total innings and 11 strikeouts.
Maddie Wiant, Byrnes: Wiant homered and was 3-for-3 with four RBIs.
Wednesday
Boys
Baseball
Nelson Vaughan, Southside Christian: Vaughan struck out 12 batters in six innings as Southside Christian beat Lexington, 10-3, and won the District 1 championship in Class A.
Jacob Wiggs, Southside Christian: Wiggs was 3-for-3 with three RBIs and two runs scored.
Girls
Softball
Kyndall Brill, Chesnee: Brill went 3-for-3 as Chesnee beat Fox Creek, 11-4, to win the Upper State District 1 championship in Class AA.
Kaylee Hannon, Byrnes: Hannon homered and drove in two runs in a 7-4 win against Blythewood.
Kinsley Kay, Belton-Honea Path: Kay pitched a complete game and allowed only one run on six hits with six strikeouts as Belton-Honea Path beat Chapman, 5-1, for the District 3 championship in Class AAA.
Hannah Lawter, Palmetto: Lawter was 2-for-2 with triple an RBI and two runs scored as Palmetto beat Daniel for the District 4 championship in Class AAA.
Allie Grace Pruitt, T.L. Hanna: Pruitt had a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the seventh inning as T.L. Hanna beat Nation Ford, 3-2, and won the Class AAAAA District 3 championship.
SOFTBALL SUPER 25 POWER RANKINGS: Greenville subscribers | Spartanburg | Anderson
Makaila Rodney, Crescent: Rodney pitched a three-hit complete game as Crescent beat Union County, 3-1, for the District 2 championship in Class AAA.
Emma Williams, T.L. Hanna: Williams pitched three shutout innings of relief with one hit allowed as she gave T.L. Hanna a chance to rally, down 2-1 through five.
Ellanie Yarrell, Byrnes: Yarrell tripled and doubled against Blythewood, scored a run and drove in two.
Tuesday
Boys
Baseball
Jacob Allen, Wren: Allen allowed one run on three hits in seven innings pitched as Wren forced a true championship game in Class AAA district 2 with a 3-1 win against Daniel.
Daniel Counts, Daniel: Counts was 2-for-3 and drove in three runs as Daniel beat Wren, 7-2, in the second game for the District 2 championship..
Brody Koss, Riverside: Koss pitched all eight innings of a 3-2 win against Greer in a Class AAA elimination game.
Austin Holtzee, Fountain Inn: Holtzee drove in four runs on a 2-for-3 night and Fountain Inn beat Woodruff, 9-1, in the Class AAA District 1 championship game.
Brayden Passmore, Fountain Inn: Passmore pitched a complete game and allowed no earned runs, five hits and no walks with six strikeouts.
Jasean Perry, Daniel: Perry was 3-for-4 with two RBIs against Wren.
Marcus Smith, Riverside: Smith scored three goals as Riverside beat Wade Hampton, 5-1, to win the Class AAAA Upper State championship.
Luke Turner, Daniel: Turner pitched 4.2 innings of one-hit shutout relief in the clinching game against Wren.
Girls
Softball
Maliyah Campbell, Woodmont: Campbell pitched a complete game and allowed one earned run on seven hits with six strikeouts as Woodmont beat Dorman, 7-2, in an elimination game.
BASEBALL SUPER 25 POWER RANKINGS: Greenville subscribers | Spartanburg | Anderson
Monday
Boys
Baseball
Josh Brown, Dorman: Brown homered and drove in three on a 2-for-4 night as Dorman beat Blythewood, 11-3, to win District 3 in Class AAAAA.
Bolen Fields, Spartanburg: Fields pitched all six innings in a 2-1 elimination game loss to Lexington. He struck out four and allowed six hits.
Hunter Gosnell, Landrum: Gosnell was 3-for-4 in an elimination game against Pelion in Class AA District 2. The Cardinals scored five runs in the bottom of the seventh to win, 7-6.
Hunter Howard, J.L. Mann: Howard went 2-for-3 with three RBIs as J.L. Mann beat Gaffney, 9-6, to win District 4 in Class AAAAA.
Palmer Hornick, Dorman: Hornick homered and drove in three with two runs scored against Blythewood.
Golf
William Jennings, Christ Church: Jennings won the Class A state championship with a 7-under 65 at the Hartsville Country Club and led the Cavaliers to a state record 22nd team title.
Girls
Softball
AG Batson, Daniel: Batson was 3-for-5 with four RBIs in a 10-2 win against Travelers Rest in a Class AAA elimination game.
Reagan Garrett, Chapman: Garrett pitched nine innings in a 4-3 win against West-Oak in a Class AAA elimination game. She gave up six hits, one earned run and struck out six with no walks.
Laney Jennings, Pendleton: Jennings pitched a five-hitter and allowed no earned runs as Pendleton beat Powdersville, 3-1, in a Class AAA district elimination game.
Taylor Tessner, Blacksburg: Tessner was 3-for-3 with a double, scored four runs and drove in one as Blacksburg beat Batesburg-Leesville in an elimination game.
Todd Shanesy is an award-winning veteran sports writer who covers high school athletics for the Greenville News, Spartanburg Herald-Journal and Anderson Independent Mail in the USA TODAY Network. Contact him by email at todd.shanesy@shj.com. Follow him on X, formerly called Twitter, at @ToddShanesySHJ.
This article originally appeared on Herald-Journal: SCHSL spring sports playoffs: Upstate's top performers for May 6-12
