The East Clarendon High School baseball team extended its postseason run with a dramatic 7-6 win over Atlantic Collegiate Academy on Friday, surviving a rollercoaster matchup that tested the Wolverines’ resilience and depth.
After a rough 8-5 loss to Andrews the night before snapped a 10-game winning streak, East Clarendon bounced back in Friday’s elimination game, overcoming multiple early errors and relying on timely offense, strategic pitching decisions, and strong defensive plays to stay alive in the SCHSL Class 2A Lower State tournament.
The Wolverines fell behind 3-0 in the first inning after committing two costly errors, but responded immediately with a four-run rally in the bottom half. Atlantic Collegiate tied the game in the second, and the two teams traded momentum throughout the contest.
Foster Matthews got the start for EC and delivered a strong performance despite the rocky start, allowing just one earned run over 5.2 innings while striking out four and issuing no walks. With a pitch limit in place to preserve his availability for a potential championship game, Matthews exited in the sixth with the Wolverines clinging to a 6-4 lead.
Barnes McConnell took over in relief and battled through a tense final stretch. After allowing a run in the sixth, McConnell returned in the seventh and surrendered another run, but a game-saving defensive play at the plate preserved the Wolverines’ lead. Matthews, now at shortstop, fired home for the second out of the inning, and a fly ball to right field ended the game.
Offensively, East Clarendon produced nine hits and nine stolen bases, manufacturing runs with aggressive base running and clutch hitting. Blease Hardy and Matthews each drove in two runs, while Hardy, Matthews and Dawson Beard tallied two hits apiece. A critical insurance run in the sixth, scored by Hunter Mixon and driven in by Hardy, ultimately proved to be the difference.
With the win, East Clarendon improved to 23-7 on the season. The Wolverines will face a rematch against Andrews on Monday at 7 p.m., looking to avenge Thursday’s loss and continue their playoff push. Andrews enters the game 13-11-2.
