The 2018-19 school year has a chance for a championship conclusion in Chronicle Country.

Both the River Bluff baseball and Lexington High School softball have reached their respective Class 5A Lower State finals. Each team just needs a victory to reach the Best-of-3 state final series starting Saturday (baseball) and Monday (baseball), respectively.

River Bluff baseball

A “3-peat” as S.C. High School League Class 5A Lower State baseball champion is just a victory away for River Bluff.

The Gators stormed back from an early deficit to defeat Summerville 9-3 this Saturday at home. It was the 10th straight overall win and 7th straight post-season victory in The Swamp. More important, River Bluff (22-5) received a 4-day respite prior to facing Region 5-5A rival Dutch Fork Wednesday in the Lower State final.

Summerville capitalized off 2 River Bluff errors in taking a 3-0 lead in the Top 3rd. The Gators responded with a 4-run rally in the bottom of the inning, capped by a 2-out, 2-run blast over the leftfield fence by Preston Sansone off Green Wave starter Tripp White.

“To see our guys battle back and come back and put a 4 spot up right after that,” River Bluff head coach Mark Bonnette said. “We get a big leadoff walk (by Alex Urban) and then, we get a (RBI) double by Cam (Ferrell) and then Sansome smokes a ball, hits a 2-run homer to really give ourselves that boost of putting us right were we need to be. So, (it was a) big inning.”

“Coach says look for your pitch every time and that’s what I did,” Sansone said. “Fastball. Right down the middle.”

River Bluff entered Wednesday having defeated Dutch Fork 3 times this season, including the Lower State tournament opener. The winner would open the Best-of-Three Series at either Blythewood or J.L. Mann Saturday.

The Bengals are led by head coach Banks Faulkner, a Lexington High School graduate who won a state championship as a player (1999) and pitching coach (2013).

Lexington softball

Since a heartbreaking 8-7 loss to defending Class 5A champion White Knoll on March 29, the Lady Wildcats have performed like a hitting juggernaut.

This past Monday’s 20-6 rout over South Florence not only advanced the Lady Wildcats to the Class 5A Lower State final. It was their 15th straight victory of the season and 8th contest during that span in which they have scored 10 or more runs.

Against the Lady Bruins, Lexington (23-3) jumped out to a 9-0 lead in the 1st inning spearheaded by a solo home run from Hannah Kumiyama and 3-run blast by Ashley Causey.

Kumiyama drove in 4 runs in the opening inning. She and winning pitcher Allie Light also combined for 7 strikeouts.

Lexington added 7 more runs to its lead in the 2nd inning. Peri Rouillard had a 2-run single to cap the rally. She, Sarah Gordon, Jessica Senn and Alyssa McGraw and Jaci Fleming, who had a team-high 4 hits, all had 2 RBI apiece and Saige Stanley had 3 hits and an RBI.

In all, Lexington pounded out a season-high 23 hits.

“We have worked really hard all season on our hitting and making adjustments at the plate,” Lexington head coach Laurie Epps said. “The girls have bought into the process and they are trusting it right now.

Lexington will play host to either South Florence or Ashley Ridge Friday in the Lower State final. The winner will open the Best-of-3 state finals Monday at the Upper State champion. J.F. Byrnes was awaiting the winner of Wednesday’s elimination game between Fort Mill and Hillcrest.

Staying alive

Like Dutch Fork, Airport and Gray Collegiate baseball and Batesburg-Leesville softball all looked to extend their respective seasons Wednesday on the road.

The Eagles faced Midland Valley in the Class 4A Lower State final looking for their 1st win in 4 tries against their Region 5-4A nemesis.

The War Eagles met sister school Oceanside Collegiate at Collins Park in North Charleston the Class 2A Lower State final hoping to avenge a 9-1 loss earlier in the tournament.

As for the Lady Panthers, they needed to avenge an earlier defeat in the Upper State tournament to Central to set up a rematch Friday at Ninety-Six for the Class 2A Upper State title.

Should all 4 teams had managed to advance, they would begin their respective state finals on the road.

All results are available at www.lexingtonchronicle.com .