Words I don’t like. Bear with me. I’ll get to the good stuff shortly.

In most cases, “utilize” is a snobbish replacement for “use.”

In NASCAR, “forward bite” is redundant because none of the cars is burdened by “backward bite.” It’s just “bite.”

“There’s a timeout on the floor.” Where else could it be? The rafters? The parking lot?

A recent release referred to a sports team being in “the malaverse.” I used the web – it used to be “worldwide” – and discovered it is “a loosely defined term referring to virtual worlds in which users represented by avatars interact, usually in 3D and usually focused on social and economic connection. 

Oh, wait. That’s “metaverse.” As best I can tell, it’s not a word, but if it keeps showing up, it will be, I expect, as an adjective/adverb, not a noun.

The first time an announcer referred to a college player “matriculating” down the field, I thought, gee whiz, that player must be a real academic whiz. Nowadays, I think most sportscaster think it means just “running or advancing down the field,” most likely in a spectacular fashion.”

To the player who is “high-IQ,” I say, prove it.

A “three-peat” is really a “two-peat’ because three straight championships are repeated twice. “Three straight titles” works fine.

Heck, I’m just a sportswriter. I try to use words with abandon, but not reckless abandon.

I could go on and on, but let’s get to the ballgames.

On Monday, Clinton (5-1) defeated Whitmire, 3-2, in softball behind the underhanded right arm of Cat Wilkie, who surrendered one earned run, five hits, four walks and fanned five.

Sierra Templeton singled and tripled. The sixth-inning three-bagger tied the score and scored what proved to be the game-winner on a Wolverine error.

Halleigh Luke stole two bases. Taylor Davis was 1/2.

On Monday, Laurens (3-2) upended Greenville, 8-6, more than making up for four errors with 13 hits.

The Raiders broke on top with three runs, off a like number of hits, in the top of the second. Greenville responded in kind in its half. With one out, Azaria Johnson singled in K Morris, who had walked. Addison Trevino’s base hit spurred Johnson to the plate, and Addy Carlisle’s base hit scored Trevino.

The Red Raiders tied the score by means of a walk, a fielder’s choice and a hit batter.

Skyla Bates’ three-run homer to center put Laurens back on top, 6-3, in the fourth.

Summer Nations, the winning pitcher, went six innings in relief of Bates. None of the three runs charged her were earned. Nations allowed three hits with a walk and five strikeouts.

Nations entered after the first four batters reached base on three walks and a single to begin the inning. Greenville wound up scoring three runs, all charged to Bates.

With the Raiders leading, 7-5, Greenville scored a run in the sixth.

Leighton Borders went the distance but took the loss for the Red Raiders. Seven of the eight runs she allowed were earned. She only walked one. She walked two and struck out 12, which would have been impressive if not for the 13 Laurens hits.

Carly Edwards went 3/4, all singles, scoring once and driving one run in, while Carlisle ripped a triple and Nations doubled twice.

Laurens’ final run scored on a passed ball.

The Red Raiders’ Julianna Lopez led off the seventh with a double, but Nations got off the hook courtesy of a game-ending double play.

Last Thursday, the Clinton junior varsity baseball team defeated Greenwood, 2-0, outhitting the Eagles, 3-1. Zack Lawson didn’t walk anyone and struck out 11. Probably as a result, he is now on the varsity. The Greenwood hitter was Ben Bundrick.

Owen Glenn, Lawson and Clayton Kyko, all singles. The Clinton runs scored in the second inning, one on a balk by losing pitcher Canden Greenthal.

Clinton (3-2) has since fallen, 3-2 and 10-4, to Blue Ridge in Greer. Lawson collected a pair of singles in the latter game. Left fielder Landon James rapped a single and a double.

As I am fluent in my parents’ annuals, I know that Clinton’s JVs were once the “Kid Devils,” and the junior-high teams the “Red Imps.”

Clinton’s girls’ basketball team was once the “Devilettes.” Now the uniforms read “Lady Devils.” I use Red Devils in order to be consistent, and if I ever called Presbyterian the “Lady Blue Hose,” a lawsuit might result.

On Tuesday, Northside Christian defeated Laurens Academy, 4-1, in Lexington.

Caleb Hardy and Nathan Bell collected the only Crusader hits, and Bell scored the only LA run in the sixth when Evan Asalone reached on one of three. Northside Christian (6-1), also Crusaders, scored single runs in the first four innings.

Hardy pitched the first two innings, absorbing the defeat for LA (1-2). Winning pitcher Logan Gouveia worked six innings before handing the ball to Grayson Crim, who earned a save. Jared Willard, Braydon Burke and Asalone followed Hardy to the hill.

Cade McNeill and Easton McCutchan each had two hits for Northside.

I’d have gone to the PC women’s basketball welcome home from the glorious Big South tournament triumph, but I received no notice.

I understand the Blue Hose rolled back into town in a motorcade with a helicopter flying overhead.

TV stations knew about it because they’re, like, important.

Gregg Nibert is a friend of 40 years, dating back to his unfortunate time as a Jene Davis assistant at Furman.

I didn’t know PC was naming the Templeton Center court after him last fall, to which I respectfully wonder what happened to Furman Pinson, its previous namesake.

Joel Dragoo hit a home run in each of the first four baseball games, all of which the Blue Hose won. When’s the last time a PC player pulled that feat? Or the team swept a four-game series.

No telling. I tried to look it up on PC’s byzantine website, of course, to no avail.

Clinton’s baseball program has three Youngs (Britt, Bryce and Luke), three Glenns (Carson, Kadon and Owen), two Finleys (Camden and Tanner), two Kykos (Clayton and Tanner), two Lollises (Collin and Hayden)

Will work for food, but contributions would be better.

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