By MONTE DUTTON

This wasn’t just another 13-3 runaway. It was, however, a runaway, gradually building and intensifying, executed by the long ball and the crafty bunt, moving runners a base at a time and circling them as if it were a stock-car race.

Southside Christian (12-8-1) brought a quality baseball program to Clinton on Monday night. The Sabres are 8-0 in Region 2-3A. The last time they lost more than eight games in a season was 2019. Southside Christian claimed Class A state titles in 2022, 2023 and 2024. The state’s top pitching prospect, lefthander Carson Bolemon, was safely nestled at first base against the Red Devils.

Clinton (18-2), after giving up a run in the top of the first, just went to work.

In the bottom of the second inning, William Addison led off with a walk. Angel Vargas’s bunt single advanced Addison to third base. Tanner Finley’s bunt scored Addison. With one out, Logan Johnson’s bunt single brought in Vargas.

The Red Devils led, 2-1. As Jerry Lee Lewis never sang, there was a whole lot of bunting going on.

In the third, on a 3-1 count, Luke Young belted his 10^th home run of the season to the left-field power alley. Tanner Finley singled in Addison, who had walked again. 4-1.

Rhett Gilliam led off the fourth with a walk, stole second, advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on Camden Finley’s sacrifice fly. Jaydon Glenn singled and scored on Young’s ringing double. 6-1.

Southside Christian scored twice in the fifth, which seemed to awaken vengeance in Clinton, which ended the game with seven runs in the bottom half. The first scored on an error, and the remaining six all scored after two were out. Jaydon Glenn doubled in two. After an intentional walk to Young, Vargas, Tanner Finley and Graydon Watkins all walked unintentionally. A Jacob Wiggs pitch hit Camden Finley. Addison doubled in two more.

Ballgame. Ten-run rule after five. Tenth win in a row.

Tanner Finley earned the win, tossing 4-1/3 innings and giving up four hits, three runs and four walks. He struck out three. Isaac Cain retired two batters, striking out C.J. Aubuchon to end the top of the fifth.

Young went 3/4. He and Jaydon Glenn (2/4), both drove in two runs, as did Addison and Tanner Finley.

Right fielder Kaden Graham collected two of the Sabres’ four hits and scored two of the three runs.

“We got hot and played probably our best game of the year,” said head coach Peyton Spangler. “The scoreboard didn’t reflect how good that team is over there (Southside Christian).”

The Red Devils are to pay Eau Claire (4-6, 2-4) a 6 p.m. visit on Tuesday in Columbia at 6. Clinton is 7-1 in Region 3-2A.

Laurens (5-16, 5-5 Region 1-4A) ended a long swoon with a 10-0 runaway at Ed Prescott Field against Emerald (7-14, 5-9).

Brayden Patterson, Logan Martin and Bryson Redd each had two hits for the Raiders, who posted a run in the first inning, five in the second and two apiece in the fourth and fifth. Laurens stole five bases, two of them by William Nunley.

Noah Hughes went the reduced distance, surrendering four hits and a walk while striking out eight.

Coleson Marino had two hits for the Vikings.

Catcher Caleb Hardy blasted a homer among his four hits as Laurens Academy (9-5) defeated Brashier Middle College, 6-4, on Monday at LA.

In softball, Clinton (13-4) also needed just five innings to take care of Abbeville, 10-0, highlighted by Me-Me Smith’s and Micah Snelgrove’s doubles. Snelgrove and Halleigh Duke each drove in a pair.

Smith no-hit the Panthers for five innings, striking out three. Five errors didn’t help the Abbeville cause.

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