(Photo by Palmetto Sports Imaging) – Airport’s Landon Jeffcoat
By Thomas Grant Jr.
The winning streaks go on for defending state champions Airport High School in baseball and Gray Collegiate Academy in softball.
Both West Columbia teams coasted through their District round portion of the Class 4A playoffs.
The Eagles opened play in the Lower State District B playoffs with a 11-1 win over Wilson. Both Ryan Bullis and Justin Sightler each drove in three runs and pitcher Daniel Butts allowed just two hits and struck out four in 3 2/3 innings for the win.
The next night saw Bullis dominate on the mound in a 10-0 win by Airport over Bishop England. He struck out seven and allowed just two hits and was one of five players with an RBI.
This past Saturday, the Eagles wrapped up the District B title with a 10-5 win over region rival South Aiken. Airport put together three, 3-run rallies with Isahia Clemons going 3-3 with an RBI and Braden Gross finishing with three RBI.
It was the seventh consecutive win on the season and 12th straight postseason victory for the Eagles.
On Monday, Airport learned it will play host to North Augusta starting Wednesday to open the Lower State playoffs. The Yellow Jackets defeated Region 5-5A champion Gray Collegiate Academy in two straight games to win the District A title.
The War Eagles dropped the first game 3-1 last Saturday. This forced a deciding game Monday won by North Augusta 6-1 to end their season.
An elimination game also took place in Class 5A Monday in Lexington which saw River Bluff hold off the archrival host team Wildcats 11-10 in the Lower State District 4 playoffs.
The Gators jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the Top 3rd. Lexington answered with two, 2-run home runs by Graham Coleman and Jones Bell to go ahead 4-3.
A 6-run rally that gave River Bluff pound out five consecutive hits surged it back ahead 9-4 in the fourth inning. A 2-run double by Wes Goodwin extended the lead to 11-4 in the fifth inning.
The two teams exchanged runs off errors in the sixth and seventh innings. With two outs after getting a run off a sacrifice fly by Ethan Madden, Lexington put together a 6-run rally to close within a run.
The tying run was on third base when River Bluff’s Goodwin got pinch hitter Allen Hegler into a season-ending groundout. The Gators traveled to Carolina Forest Wednesday for another elimination game.
SOFTBALL
The quest for a 3-peat and undefeated season continues to go in methodical fashion for nationally-ranked Gray Collegiate Academy.
Photo by George Matsui
The Lady War Eagles won all three District A games by double digits. It started with a 12-0 win in four innings over Brookland-Cayce in which University of South Carolina-bound junior Aspen Boulware had three hits, including an inside-the-park home run.
Aleigha Capilos allowed no hits and struck out six for the win.
Last Friday, Gray Collegiate Academy advanced to the district final with an 11-1 win in five innings over Darlington. Braelyn Triplett went 2-3 with four RBI and Makenzie Sease struck out eight in five innings.
On Monday, the Lady War Eagles closed out District A with a 16-1 rout of the Lady Falcons in three innings. Home runs came courtesy of Claire Kelly, who went 3-3 with five RBI, and Mackenzie Sease, who went 2-3 with three RBI.
Elizabeth Robinson went 2-2 with three RBI and Payton Hendrix struck out seven in three innings. Gray Collegiate Academy opened against Region 5-5A rival North Augusta at home Wednesday.
Airport seniors Addie Maynor, Abigail Gartman and Ayden Vaughn
Meanwhile, Airport made a return trip to May River Tuesday to decide the Class 4A Lower State District C champion. The Lady Eagles emerged out of the loser’s bracket with three straight wins, including a 10-0 shutout of top seed May River on Monday.
Coming off a 3-5, 5-RBI effort in the 19-5 win over Colleton County a night earlier, Addie Maynor went 3-4 with four RBI against the Lady Sharks.
Layla Elliott and Abigail Gartman both had two RBI and Caelyn Sligh allowed just four hits for the shutout.
The 2026 season ended Friday for River Bluff with a 1-0 loss to Sumter. The Gamecocks next faced Lexington on Tuesday in another elimination game.
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