Dillon County teams proved they still have some of the best progams in the state as another successful baseball season has come to a close with Latta and Dillon bringing home postseason titles.
The Latta Vikings proved they had what it takes as they earned their first state baseball title since 1966. The Vikings went undefeated in Region 8-A and cruised to the District VIII title. Latta shut out East Clarendon in the first round of the lower state tournament but fell 12-7 to Hannah-Pamplico in round two. The Vikings eliminated Bamberg-Ehrhardt 11-1 to advance to the lower state championship and defeated Hannah-Pamplico twice for the title, 19-0 and 7-4.
After dropping the first game of the state series 9-3, Latta defeated the Lewisville Lions 6-2 and 6-4 to claim the Class A state title.
The Vikings had one of the strongest lineups in the county, including Jackson Williams, who had 47 hits and an average of .522 with 10 doubles, five triples, and three home runs with 39 RBI. Eric McGirt also had a great season for the Vikings, getting 46 hits with an average of .404 with seven doubles, five triples, and four homers for 24 RBI. Latta’s Austin Miller had 29 hits, including six doubles, for an average of .358; Caleb Mishue had 22 hits for a .386 average; and Cledus Williams had 18 RBI this season.
John Kever Love was the stand out for the Vikings, earning Class A Player of the Year honors, and was chosen for the North-South Carolina Select game. Love earned 12 wins on the mound for the Latta with an ERA of 1.48, striking out 123 in 89.2 innings pitched. Love was also a leader at bat, getting 45 hits, including 10 doubles, for an average of .464 with 38 RBI. Love will play at the College of Charleston next season.
It was also a big season for Coach Don Cribb, who earned his first state championship title in his 31st year as head coach. It was Cribb’s second season with Latta, and his second straight state series appearance with the Vikings. Cribb has made four state series appearances in his career.
Latta will likely be a strong contender again next season, losing just two seniors, Love and Miller, from the state championship team.
In Class 2A, Dillon’s Wildcats also had a successful run, advancing all the way to the Class 2A state series before falling to Ninety-Six, finishing with a 16-8 record.
The Wildcats went 8-2 in Region 8-2A and went undefeated for the District VIII title. In the lower state, Dillon earned wins over Aynor, Waccamaw, and Bishop England to claim the title, but in the state series, they were shut down 8-2 and 6-3 in two games.
Patrick Herring led the Wildcats at bat with with 29 hits and a .381 average with six doubles and three home runs. the All-State and North-South All Star selection had 24 RBI for the Wildcats and has signed to play for Florence-Darlington Tech next season.
Joseph Scott and Dekendrick Graves also had strong seasons for Dillon. Both had a .351 average with Scott getting 19 hits and Graves getting 17 hits, including six doubles.
Austin Moody had six doubles and three home runs at bat for the Wildcats and a 1.15 ERA with 39 strikeouts in 43.2 innings on the mound. Duncan Callahan had two home runs at bat and struck out 30 on the mound, and Rae Rae McGirt had a 1.99 ERA and struck out 45 in 31.2 innings.
The Wildcats will lose six seniors from this year’s lower state championship team, including Herring, Scott, Omar McCollum, Gunnar Grossetti, Ryan Rouse, and Charles Sowells.
While Lake View’s Wild Gators didn’t make it to the lower state bracket this season, they still finished second in Region 8-A with an 8-2 record and advanced to the District V title game before falling to Bamberg-Ehrhardt. Lake View finished the season with a 20-7 record.
Justin Elliott led the Gators at bat with 26 hits, including three home runs and 26 RBI, and a .371 average. Josh Price hit six doubles and three home runs for 23 RBI and en ERA of .373 to help the Gators at bat and Weston Rogers had 20 RBI this season.
Lake View also had a strong pitching roster that included Weston Rogers, Carson Rogers, and Josh Price. Price had an ERA of 1.08 in 38.2 innings, striking out 43 and earning a 5-3 record. He was also an All-State selection. Weston Rogers and Carson Rogers each had six wins, with Weston finishing with an ERA of 1.22 in 34.1 innings and Carson Rogers finishing with a 1.13 ERA in 37 innings.
Lake View should be another strong contender next season with all three of their top pitchers competing in American Legion ball this summer and only two graduating seniors, Luc Newell and Jeremy Moody.
In SCISA action, the Dillon Christian School Warriors made it to the SCISA Class 2A state playoffs before falling to Robert E. Lee Academy. The Warriors finished with a 4-9-3 record overall.
Thomas Evans and Jake Boykin led the Warriors at bat, with Evans getting 16 hits, including four doubles, two triples, and a home run, with 10 RBI and a .400 average. Boykin had 18 hits with three doubles for eight RBI and a .391 average. Connor Hamilton had 14 hits with two doubles for 13 runs scored, and Ellison Rourke had 10 hits with a double and a triple and had 10 stolen bases.
On the mound, Landry Collins struck out 38 in 26.1 innings with a 2-4 record.
The Warriors will lose three seniors from the team, Ellison Rourke, Douglas Bullock, and Landry Collins, but will should return Boykin, Evans, and Hamilton.
Congratulations to all our teams on a great baseball season!
