State title eludes Raiders, 10-7

By MONTE DUTTON Tori Patterson watches Coleman Coker uncork. (Monte Dutton photos) Click here. One of my favorite characters, the late Jim Beauchamp, used to welcome in the writers and sometimes say, “Boys, sometimes you’ve just got to tip your cap to the opposition.” Then “Beech” would remove the Greenville Braves cap, with its logo …

This time Raider comeback falls short, 5-4

Zay Pulley (Monte Dutton photos) Click here. CHARLESTON – Laurens’ third straight trip to the well yielded only an empty bucket as James Island won the first game in the Class 4A state baseball finals, 5-4, on Monday night. Both victories in the Upstate finals against Easley occurred on Laurens’ final at-bat. This time the …

Madden completes Raider comeback and it’s on to state

(Monte Dutton photos) Click here. The Class 4A Upstate baseball championship, and the accompanying opportunity for statewide glory, belongs to the Laurens Raiders, who came from four runs behind to eliminate Easley (25-6) on Wednesday night by a score of 7-6. Right fielder Avery Madden drove in what proved to be the tying and winning …