Once, when we experienced science fiction and special effects, the quality was such that we had to imagine it was real. Now it looks so real that we have to imagine that it isn’t.

Who wants to see Iowa play LSU? How about LSU-South Carolina? South Carolina-Iowa? I thought so. They can’t all happen, but there’s an excellent chance of two.

Watching the LSU-UCLA game, it occurred to me that Kim Mulkey reminds me of a 1960s country singer – specifically, I thought of Jean Shepard.

In the late Miss Shepard’s defense, I can’t find a photo or video of her singing in a sparkly suit.

Not that many watch men’s basketball anymore, of course, but I was excited about Clemson’s chances. Wide-open three-pointers the Tigers allowed and free throws they couldn’t hit beat them.

To paraphrase a Shepard hit, I could feel it slipping away.

Clinton High bounced back on Saturday with 12-4 victory over Wren in a baseball game played at Duncan Park in Spartanburg.

Catcher Luke Young doubled twice and drove in three runs. Carson Glenn was also 2/3 with one double and three RBI. Jaydon Glenn was 2/2. The Red Devils compiled 10 hits and scored at least two runs in the first four innings.

Jaydon Glenn pitched the first three innings for Clinton (7-6), allowing no hits, three walks and an unearned run. He fanned three.

Freddy Lopez took care of the Golden Hurricanes for the next 1-1/3, then turned the mound over to Zack Lawson for the final two outs.

Ben Smith and Greyson Austin had the Wren (9-6) hits. Smith’s was a double that drove in two runs.

Austin Vinson started and took the loss.

Clinton stole five bases, two by Lawson.

The bugaboo follows Presbyterian College baseball wherever it goes.

Gardner-Webb, after dropping the first two games of its Big South series to the Blue Hose, wore them out, 11-1, in game three on Saturday.

Presbyterian (13-15, 4-2) opened its conference season winning the first two games and losing the third. Last season the Blue Hose played 10 conference three-game series and lost the final in nine of them. PC defeated Radford, 13-7, in the 2023 season’s final game.

It’s not a hex or a curse. PC has less pitching depth than most other Big South schools — most likely a consequence of fewer scholarships — and three games in three days is too much of a burden.

Both teams used three hurlers on Saturday at John Henry Moss Stadium in Boiling Springs, N.C. The Bulldogs already led 3-1 when they added four-spots in the fourth and sixth innings.

Tommy Tavarez and Max Smyley belted homers for Gardner-Webb (9-17, 2-7). Tavarez had a double. Ryan Kannell laced a triple. Kannell drove in three runs, Tavarez two.

Joel Dragoo and Mikah Conner doubled for PC, and Jack Gorman and Aaron Hobson collected the singles. Brody Fahr scored the run. Gorman drove it in.

PC’s Fenix DiGiacomo (L, 1-3) toiled gallantly for five innings, giving up nine hits and seven runs. Kyle Mueller and Robbie Boykin divvied up another inning.

Parker Dixon (W, 1-0) gave up the PC run. C.J. Czerwinski went three more and Devin Pressley one.

Take a look at the box here.

Kendall Owens singled and doubled, driving in three runs as Presbyterian (12-23, 3-3 Big South) won the first game of a doubleheader at Longwood on Saturday, 6-1, but the Lancers came back to win the second game, 8-0, and win the three game series.

Neither game was close after the first few moments. In the former, PC scored six runs in as many innings, and Longwood (11-20, 4-2) never scored until the bottom of the seventh inning.

Peyton Duncan (W, 3-5) allowed only three hits, a run and four walks in 6-2/3 innings. She struck out three. Kasey Wolfe came on to strike out the only batter she faced.

Jillian Hewes homered for the Hose.

Kayley DeVivi had two Longwood’s three hits and homered to produce its only runs.

The latter game was quite another matter. Kelby Goodrum got PC’s only hit.

The Lancers roughed up Jenna Greene (L, 6-9), who gave up five earned runs in 1-2/3 innings. Kasey Wolfe and Duncan followed.

Maggie Chapin (W, 11-9) allowed only a hit and a walk, fanning five.

Lauren Fox and DeVivi each had three hits for Longwood and Lauren Taylor homered.

The good news at Bailey Memorial Stadium was that Presbyterian (1-9, 0-2 Southern Conference) scored its most goals of the lacrosse season to date.

The bad news was that Longwood (4-6, 2-0) won the match,16-13.

The Blue Hose and Lancers were tied at halftime.

Kaylie Rittmueller and Abby Admisten each scored three goals, and Rittmueller added two assists.

Presbyterian (5-2) won all six acrobatics-and-tumbling events — the Compulsory, Acro, Pyramid, Toss, Tumbling, and Team — in a 245.710-151.275 win over Bluefield State (1-3) on Senior Day at Templeton Center.

After the meet, the Blue Hose honored seniors Maya Reyes, Caroline Holter and Kat Iacobelli.

The junior-varsity baseball games played on Saturday by Laurens and Westside had little in common.

The homestanding Rams won the former game, 1-0, and the visiting Raiders the latter, 15-2. William Nunley had the only Laurens hit in the opener, and Noah Hughes took a tough loss on the mound.

Tristian Buzbee, who doubled and homered, and Logan Martin each drove in three runs. Four Laurens (9-3), four had at least two hits, and Preston Dixon had three. Karson Vinson was the winning pitcher

Will work for food, but contributions would be better. Besides, I had a steak before Jim McLaurin’s funeral. I’d forgotten how good they are.

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