The high-school action was hot and heavy Monday in Laurens County again where, miraculously, it didn’t rain.

Me? I wanted to be out at the diamond, but, until a payment got auto-deposited, it was too late for hitting the road, I couldn’t afford it.

Laurens and Clinton both came from behind in their final at-bats.

I kept myself frantically occupied by following the Raiders and Red Devils online while watching Samford win the Southern Conference men’s basketball final over East Tennessee State, 76-69.

The Raiders picked an exciting, come-from-behind Region 2-4A triumph over Eastside, 5-4.

Laurens (6-2, 1-0 region) stayed in it largely as a result of home runs in the second and fourth innings by first baseman Owen Pridgen – the only other was a Jireh Brown single that produced the winning run in the top of the sixth – and taking advantage of seven walks.

Eastside (1-4, 0-1) with a run in the first and two in the second. Gregory Bryant drove in a run on a fielder’s choice. The second run – and first of the second – also scored on another groundout, and the second scored on Peyton Schrader’s two-out single to right field.

The Raiders got on the board via Pridgen’s two-out, solo homer in the bottom of the second.

Pridgen’s latter home run was a three-run blast, putting the Raiders up, 4-3.

The Eagles tied it in the top of the fifth on Cooper DeVries single to center. There the teams remained until Brown put the Raiders back in front in after the inning opened with walks to Avery Madden and Pridgen.

Winning pitcher Grayson Ledford, who pitched two shutout innings, closed out Eastside by allowing only a walk in the seventh. Starter Asher Goss went five innings, giving up four runs and all five Eastside hits. He walked four and fanned eight.

Bryant, who pitched the sixth in relief of starter Ejan Fusetti, took the loss.

The Raiders and Eagles play again in Taylors on Wednesday at 6.

Third baseman Zane McLendon led Clinton (2-3) past Gaffney, 8-4, in the Devils’ home park.

McLendon brought Clinton back with a three-run blast in the top of the sixth after the score was already tied via Brett Young’s double, scored Jaydon Glenn, who had reached on an error. Bryce Young followed with a single, and McLendon’s homer drove in both Youngs and, of course, himself.

Four pitchers – Tanner Kyko, Tanner Finley, winner Zack Lawson and Camden Finley – topped the mound for Clinton. Camden Finley earned a save by pitching the final 2/3rds of an inning. He struck out Drew Medley to end the game.

Gaffney (1-1) was coming off a 5-4 victory over another Region 4-3A team, Union County.

The Indians scored four fourth-inning runs on singles by Medley, Braden Beattie and Jace Bradbury. Medley was the only Gaffney batter with two hits. As a team, the Indians collected eight hits

Clinton’s 11 hits, three by shortstop Brice Young and two apiece by McLendon and right fielder Carson Glenn. McLendon drove in five, and the top of the Red Devil order – left fielder Brett Young, Bryce Young and McLendon – combined to provide six runs, seven hits and seven RBI. Brett Young doubled twice. Bryce Young and Jaydon Glenn each stole two bases.

Clinton won in its golf match against Laurens at Lakeside Country Club. The Red Devils shot, 164-210.

Aiden Bragg led the Red Devils with a one-over 37.

Cameron Seay led the Raiders with a 49.

Laurens picked up a boys’ tennis victory, 4-2, at Hillcrest in Simpsonville on Monday afternoon.

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