Brandon Camp's Eighth-Inning Double Lifts Lexington Over South Aiken 2-1; Wildcats Win Lower State Championship

Lexington, S.C. -- Brandon Camp's two-out double in the bottom of the eighth inning scored Nick Ciuffo lifting top-ranked Lexington to a 2-1 win over 10th-ranked South Aiken and the AAAA Lower State high school baseball championship at Wildcats Field on Friday.

Lexington, which improved to 26-4, advances to the best-of-three state  championship against Blythewood. The opening game of the series is Monday at Lexington at 7:00. Blythewood defeated Wade Hampton 6-0 in the Upper State finals on Friday.  South Aiken finished the season 20-11.

Lexington is making its 12th appearance in the state finals and its first since 2003. Lexington is 5-6 all-time in state finals winning its last championship in 1999.

Ciuffo led off the bottom of the eighth inning with a walk and scored from first base when Camp lined a 1-1 pitch into the left field corner.

Lexington took a second inning advantage. Cameron Matthews reached on a one-out infield single and moved to second on Jordan Buster's single to center. Matthews scored on a throwing error on Cody Smith's grounder giving Lexington a 1-0 lead.

South Aiken tied the game in the sixth inning. Stokes Griffith singled with one out and courtesy runner Joey Smithers eventually scored on Evan Kearse's two-out single to center.

Jordan Buster (5-1) picked up the win in relief blanking the Thoroughbreds over the final two innings with a walk and a strikeout. Lexington starter Elliot Lance worked the first six innings allowing a run on seven hits with six strikeouts.  Taylor Widener suffered the loss surrendering two runs, one earned on eight hits with five strikeouts over 7 2/3 innings.

Lexington 2, South Aiken 1 (8 innings)
------------------------------------------
South Aiken......... 000 001 00 -  1  7  2
Lexington............ 010 000 01 -  2  8  1
------------------------------------------
WP - Jordan Buster (5-1). LP - Taylor Widener.
Lexington, Ryan Brown 2-4, Dalton Addy 2-3.
South Aiken, Stokes Griffith 2-4; Trey Polewski 2-4.
Records: Lexington 26-4, South Aiken 20-11.
Lexington plays host to Blythewood in the opening game of the best-of-three state championship series at 7:00 on Monday.

Lexington State Finals breakdown (5-6)

Class A (1-0)
W, 1963 - Lexington over Ware Shoals

Class AAA (1-4)
W, 1971 – Lexington over Garrett
L, 1972 – Garrett over Lexington
L, 1973 – Hanahan over Lexington
L, 1974 – Southside over Lexington
L, 1976 – Hanahan over Lexington,

Class AAAA (3-2)
L, 1991 – Lancaster over Lexington
W, 1992 – Lexington over Lancaster
W, 1994 – Lexington over Irmo
W, 1999 – Lexington over James Island
L, 2003 – Summerville over Lexington