South Carolina High School Baseball Playoffs Begin

High school baseball players competing in the state playoffs

News Summary

The South Carolina Independent School Association (SCISA) baseball state playoffs are set to kick off, showcasing top teams across four classifications. The playoffs promise an action-packed week of high school baseball with different formats for each classification. Teams will compete in double-elimination and best-of-3 series to determine the state champions in AAAA, AAA, AA, and Class A categories.

Columbia, SC – The South Carolina Independent School Association (SCISA) baseball state playoffs are set to begin on Monday, featuring four classifications. The tournament will showcase the top teams from various schools, providing an exciting week of high school baseball for players, fans, and communities across the state.

The playoffs are structured differently across classifications. In the AAAA and AAA brackets, teams will compete in two 5-team double-elimination formats, culminating in a best-of-3 state championship series for the top teams. Meanwhile, the AA and Class A classifications will see playoffs decided through three rounds of best-of-3 series.

AAAA Classification Overview

In the AAAA classification, the No. 1 seeds are Ben Lippen from the upper bracket and Laurence Manning Academy from the lower bracket. The upper bracket games scheduled for Monday include:

No. 5 Wilson Hall vs. No. 4 Porter-Gaud.
The victor of Wilson Hall vs. Porter-Gaud will challenge No. 1 Ben Lippen on Tuesday.
No. 2 Pinewood Prep will host No. 3 Hammond on Tuesday.

In the lower bracket, the match-ups are:

No. 5 Augusta Christian, the defending AAAA state champion, at No. 4 Hilton Head Christian Academy, the defending AAA state champion, on Monday.
The winner of Augusta Christian vs. Hilton Head will visit No. 1 Laurence Manning on Tuesday.
No. 3 Trinity Collegiate will compete against No. 2 Cardinal Newman on Tuesday.

AAA Classification Details

The AAA classification features Orangeburg Prep as the No. 1 seed in the upper bracket and Hilton Head Prep as the No. 1 in the lower bracket. Scheduled games include:

No. 5 Spartanburg Christian Academy takes on No. 4 Patrick Henry Academy on Monday.
The winner will face No. 1 Orangeburg Prep on Tuesday.
No. 2 Pee Dee Academy will host St. John’s Christian Academy on Tuesday.

In the lower bracket:

No. 5 Florence Christian visits No. 4 Greenwood Christian on Monday.
The winner of that match-up will face No. 1 Hilton Head Prep on Tuesday.
No. 3 Calhoun Academy will travel to No. 2 Williamsburg Academy.

AA Playoffs Configuration

The AA playoffs will commence with four quarterfinal series on Monday:

No. 4 Laurens Academy at No. 1 Lee Academy.
No. 3 Thomas Heyward Academy at No. 2 Dorchester Academy, the defending state champion.
No. 1 Andrew Jackson Academy will host No. 4 Carolina Academy.
No. 2 Oakbrook Prep welcomes No. 3 The King’s Academy.

Game 2 of these match-ups will shift to the lower seeds’ homes on Tuesday, with any required third games scheduled for Thursday at the higher seed’s location.

Class A Playoffs Initial Round

The Class A playoffs will open with two quarterfinal series:

Jefferson Davis Academy hosting Wardlaw Academy.
Marlboro Academy visiting W.W. King.

Similar to the AA playoffs, the series will switch to the lower seed’s homes for Game 2 on Tuesday, with a potential third game slated for Thursday at the higher seed. The winners of the Jefferson Davis-Wardlaw series will face defending state champion Richard Winn in the semifinals, while the King-Marlboro winner will challenge Holly Hill Academy.

Future Championship Schedule

The championship series for each classification is set to take place on May 12, May 13, and May 15, should additional games be necessary. These series promise to showcase the best of SCISA baseball as teams vie for the title and honor of being crowned state champions.