As dreary and drizzly as the Friday weather was in Laurens County and hereabouts, the games were rather spectacular, even thereabouts.

The Laurens baseballers took the over while the softballers took the under.

Translation: The Raiders won in extra innings in baseball and by run rule in softball.

The Presbyterian baseball team won big in the faraway Grind City Classic in Memphis, Tenn.

Tori Patterson won his 104^th game – and one of the more tense ones — as LDHS baseball coach. The Raiders trimmed Belton-Honea Path, 2-1, in eight innings on Bennett Edwards’ bases-loaded walk.

The Bears never retired a batter in the bottom of the eighth inning at Ed Prescott Field.

Pinch-hitter Myles Ray opened the inning with a single, then Hunter Nabors followed with a walk. Zay Pulley singled, and Edwards walked on four pitches to end the game.

Funny thing. BHP reliever Madox Vipperman retired Laurens (5-2) in order in the seventh.

An inning later, Vipperman lost both his control and the game.

Ryland Paxton, the winner, was splendid, going the distance on only 100 pitches. He gave up a hit, a run and a walk, while striking out seven.

Justin Baker got the only BHP hit, and Lane McGaha drove in Ri Barnette for the only run batted in. McGaha drove in Barnette on an infield out.

Talan Laburda got out of it without a decision, but he was quite impressive for Belton-Honea Path (3-2).  He threw five innings and 81 pitches, giving up three hits and a run with two walks and seven strikeouts.

At the top of the order, Nabors, the shortstop, and second baseman Pulley, each got two of the Raiders’ five hits, all singles. Nabors was 2/3 and Pulley 2/4. Asher Goss drove in Laurens’ first run, a sacrifice fly. Each team scored in the first inning, then went silent until the Raiders’ walk-off (literally) ninth.

In the unlikely event of rain allowing it, the teams are to face off in Honea Path on Saturday afternoon at 2:30.

Meanwhile, down the bank behind the third-base side, the softball was quite different.

Catcher Addison Trevino went 3/5 with a double, three runs and four driven in as Laurens (2-2) needed just four innings to end mercifully a 19-1 triumph.

Carly Edwards doubled, and Summer Nations, also the winning pitcher, was one of five other Raiders to collect a hit.

In the four innings needed, LDHS scored, in order, three, six, eight and two runs.

Not surprisingly, Eastside (0-3) has been outscored 56-2 thus far.

Nations gave up a hit and a run in three innings in the circle – no mound, just chalk in softball, with one strikeout. Skyla Bates toiled the remaining two, allowing only a walk and striking out three.

Addison Lowery and Lia Faulks had the Eagles’ hits, both singles. Losing pitcher Julia Rollins lasted 1-1/3 innings, allowed four hits and issued five walks. Her successor, Emma Moyse, fared even worse: 2-2/3 innings, five hits, 12 earned runs and seven walks.

The Raiders visit Red Raiders (Greenville), on Monday.

In Memphis, PC opened the Grind City – a term for the city heretofore unknown to me – with a 7-2 triumph over Jackson State, taking advantage of 12 free passes surrendered by the Tigers of Mississippi.

Freshman Mikah Connor, who entered the game as a pinch-runner and replaced Noah Lebron at second base, blasted his first collegiate home run in the seventh inning.

Trailing 1-0, Presbyterian (8-6) erupted for five runs in the top of the fifth inning and added insurance with single plate crossings in the seventh and the ninth.

First baseman Hasan Standifer and catcher Sebastian Cabeza each went 2/4 at the plate for Jackson State (10-4).

Winning pitcher Tristian McGregor (3-0), the second of four Blue Hose hurlers, went 3-1/3 innings in relief of Daniel Eagan and was succeeded on the hill by Jeremiah Hampton and Robbie Boykin.

Garrett van Deventer pitched eight brutal frames for the Tigers, allowing eight hits, six runs and four walks. Only 58 of his 103 offerings pierced the strike zone.

For PC, Aaron Hobson and Joel Dragoo each produced two hits and two RBI.

The Blue Hose play their second game of the Grind City Classic against the host team, the Memphis also Tigers, on Saturday at 6 p.m. EST, which will happily become EDT on Sunday and is advancing for CST to CDT at the site.

Take a look at the stats here.

Richard Winn Academy overwhelmed Laurens Academy (1-1), 14-0, and scored one run in the first inning, followed by seven and six in a run-rule-concluded game in Winnsboro.

The Crusaders committed four errors, making life tough for losing pitcher Braydon Burke, who, in 1-2/3 innings, allowed one earned run amidst eight of the unearned variety. He allowed one hit and six walks with three strikeouts.

Evan Asalone mopped up, giving up four hits and six runs (five earned) with three walks and two strikeouts in 2-1/3 frames.

Winning hurler Charlie Bonds no-hit LA, offering only two walks, both to Hack Hardy. He struck out 12.

The Eagles (2-0) had only five hits, two of them by catcher Stone Gill.

The Crusaders take on Northside Christian on Tuesday in Lexington.

Laurens fell twice in Greer, falling, 3-1, in boys’ soccer and, 5-0, in girls’ against the Yellow Jackets.

Both Raider squads are to play Wren in Piedmont on Tuesday

Blue, Green, Purple & Red cannot solely be funded by advertising. There’s not enough room. If you like the coverage, please donate whatever you consider appropriate via Venmo at DHK Sports.

If you choose, make a monthly donation via Patreon. The Laurens County site is here. The Furman site is here.

Support the advertisers. They are all fine people who appreciate my attempts to restore coverage of local sports.

In the off chance you’d like to read my novels and other books, they’re available on Amazon and many prominent bookseller sites.

Photo galleries are posted on Instagram @furmanatt and @laurenscountysports.

Thanks for your support.