The race for playoff berths in South Carolina American Legion League III has grown tighter in the final week. 

On the same night Camden Post 17 clinched a share of the league title with a doubleheader split of West Columbia Post 79, Lexington Post 7 saw its hold on 2nd place reduced to ½ game. Lexington was swept by Aiken Post 26 by the scores of 12-2 and 8-3. 

Game 1 at Aiken was the continuation of a June 5 contest stopped due to bad weather. Lexington led 2-0, but Post 26 resumed play with a 5-run inning in the 2nd and 7 runs over the next 3 innings to close out the victory in 5 innings. 

In Game 2, Aiken (7-11, 5-6) jumped out to a 7-0 lead through the 1st 4 innings. In the top 5th, Brett McEwen of Batesburg-Leesville belted a 3-run homer for his 5th of the season.

Lexington (8-11, 5-5) closes out the regular season with games Monday and Wednesday against Camden and an exhibition contest versus the Victorian Kookaburras at 5 p.m. Tuesday at Lexington County Baseball Stadium. Camden can clinch the league title outright with 1 win, while Lexington can win the title with victories in both games. 

Over at Brookland-Cayce High School, West Columbia kept its playoff hopes alive with a 7-5 victory in Game 1. Dylan Williamson of Pelion High School put Post 79 on the board in the bottom 1st with a solo home run.

After Camden Post 17 (13-4, 7-3) tied the game in the top 2nd on an RBI double by Wynston Dyer, West Columbia erupted for 6 runs in the bottom half of the inning.

The rally started with a leadoff double by Dalton Mims of Airport High School, followed by a 2-run homer by Pierce Nance. With 2 outs, Williamson belted a 2-run single and Brandon Caughman of Airport followed with a 2-home run to make it 7-1.

Camden rallied for 3 runs in the 4th and added a run in the 5th when Mims struck out the tying run at the plate in Brady White to end the game.

In Game 2, West Columbia jumped out to a 2-0 lead on RBI singles by Caughman and Drew Boozer of Pelion. Camden answered with 10 unanswered runs, 7 during the 3rd inning on a 3-run homer by Dyer, a 2-run RBI single by Bradwin Salmond and RBI walk by John Lanier.

Post 79 (5-9, 4-7) rallied in the bottom 5th with an RBI single by Caughman and 3-run homer by Mims, The comeback came up short and West Columbia dropped a game behind Aiken for 3rd place in League III.

The 2 teams meet Monday at Brookland-Cayce High School in a contest which could decide the final playoff spot.