By MONTE DUTTON

When I awakened this morning, nature called. Nothing unusual about that. It’s my interior alarm clock. I keep forgetting to buy a new one.

Last night I spent an hour talking with an old NASCAR chum. The first Darlington race of the season was Sunday. My friend and I laughed at stories we’d told each other a dozen times before.

Anyway, before I gave up on sleep and staggered to the bathroom, I panicked. I was in a motel room, and the other bed was empty. My friend had already left for the track. I was late! I always went early because time in traffic was time wasted.

Now I live in a travel trailer. There is no other bed. I haven’t been to Darlington in 14 years. It’s the track too tough for memories to tame.

I dreamed Jimmy Spencer tried to qualify in a 1950s Formula One Vanwall. Jimmy filled the cockpit of a race car made famous by Stirling Moss.

A vivid dream makes preposterous images seem real for a few seconds. Now I’ve had a cup of coffee and two pieces of toast with butter and jelly.

Reality. What a concept. Pete Hegseth reminded me of Gen. Buck Turgidsen in Doctor Strangelove. There’s no fighting in the War Room.

Clinton High got a dose of reality in Prosperity. Mid-Carolina (7-5, 1-0 Region 3-2A) scored five runs in the bottom of the fifth inning and held off the Red Devils, 7-5.

It was Clinton’s first full game since March 5. Only one of the seven runs charged Isaac Cain was earned. Catcher Luke Young belted his sixth home run of the season, and Clinton (8-2, 0-1) scored five runs in the top of the third and no more.

Cain walked four and struck out eight in 4-2/3 innings. Jaydon Glenn pitched the last 1-1/3.

Clinton (8-2, 0-1) broke on top with Young’s three-run blast with one out after Tanner Finley and Camden Finley walked. Angel Vargas singled in a run and scored when Talan Campbell reached on an error.

Young and William Addison each had two hits. One of Addison’s went for two bases.

It was 5-2 when Mid-Carolina’s five-spot landed, thanks in part to two Clinton errors.

The Red Devils outhit the Rebels, 7-6. All six of the Mid-Carolina hits were singles. Catcher Davis Ruff had two of them. Lawson Lawrence was the winning pitcher, and Luke Milling struck out seven of the 11 batters he faced to earn a save.

Mid-Carolina visits Clinton on Friday at 7:30 p.m.

The reality was even harsher on Monday night, where Fountain Inn rolled past Laurens (4-9, 4-3 Region 1-4A), 10-0.

The Raiders won three region games on Saturday without playing. Southside forfeited a future series.

The Fury scored single runs in the first, second and third innings, then tacked on two in the third and fourth before ending it with a four-run fifth.

Laurens had more errors (5) than hits (3). The hits were singles by Logan Bragg, Logan Martin and Wyatt Pinson.

Ryland Paxton was a victim of three unearned runs, six walks and a hit batter. He did not allow a hit in 1-1/3 innings, facing 14 batters before yielding first to William Nunley and then to Ke’Allen Blackwell.

Justin Blocker and Anderson Hayes each drove in two runs for Fountain Inn (13-1, 4-0). Parker Davis fanned nine Raiders in 4-1/3 innings.

The Fury visits Laurens on Wednesday evening and returns to Fountain Inn on Friday.

Reality was much better – and more prosperous — for Clinton boys’ tennis in Prosperity, where the Red Devils forked the Rebels, 6-0.

Clinton (6-1, 3-0) visits Woodruff on Thursday at 5 p.m.

# 1 Singles   Matthew King defeated Jacob Bouknight  6 –2, 6 – 1

# 2 Singles    Edwin Orr defeated Alex Bunce 6 – 0, 6 – 0

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# 3 Singles    Jacob King defeated Derly Samoya Flores  6 – 0, 6 – 0

# 4 Singles    Jake Meyerholtz defeated Lyon Abraham    6 – 0, 6 – 0

# 5 Singles    Cooper Stinson defeated Will Smith  6 – 1, 6 – 3

# 1 Doubles     DID  NOT  PLAY

# 2 Doubles    Malakye Brewer & Hang Lanford defeated Treyon Jackson & Jamar Connelly  6 – 0, 6 – 0

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It means a lot to me that you enjoy what I write.

Most of my books are available at Amazon. Two of my novels, Cowboys Come Home and Lightning in a Bottle, are available in audio versions.