By Cindy Crosby
The Colleton County Cougar Baseball team, seeded fifth, was eliminated from the SCHSL AAAA State Baseball Playoffs after falling to No. 2 seed Aiken High School (5-3) and No. 4 seed West Florence High School (4-2) last week. The Cougars finished the 2022 season 6-15 overall and 3-9 in Region VII-AAAA.
In game one against Aiken High School on May 3, Colleton County trailed by four runs at the end of the fifth inning. Gabe Wolfe earned the start and allowed ten hits and five runs over five and a third innings, striking out one. Cam Farnsworth threw two-thirds of an inning in relief. Cohen Crosby and Grayson Cromer each had multiple hits for Colleton County and Josh Caldwell, Preston Breland, and Dustin Hadwin each had a hit.
Trey Johnson earned the win for Aiken High School, surrendering three runs on seven hits over seven innings, striking out seven.
The Cougars fell 4-2 despite out-hitting West Florence in the elimination game played Thursday May 5. Dakota Dandridge toed the rubber for Colleton County, going five innings, allowing four runs on six hits, striking out four and walking one. Cam Farnsworth threw one inning in relief.
Preston Breland and Bruce Carpenter went 2-3 at the plate on the day. Grayson Cromer and Palmer Thomas each recorded multiple hits in the game. Dustin Hadwin and Warren had a hit each.
Mac Sawyer earned the win for West Florence across six innings of work, allowing ten hits and two runs while striking out nine.
