The baseball playoffs continue this week following the conclusion of district play last week. 

Three Lexington County teams enter this week still in contention, playing in either the upper or lower state championship. Four teams advanced out of the district bracket, but two met in the first round of the 4A lower state championship bracket. 

Airport cruised through its district bracket and avoided playing in a single-elimination game. The Eagles then faced region rival Gilbert in the opening series of the lower state bracket. 

The two teams competed all year for their region title and ended the regular season tied. They split their region series, but it was Gilbert who took home the title thanks to the runs allowed tie-breaker going in its favor. 

However, it was Airport who got the last laugh. The Eagles swept Gilbert in dominant fashion, winning game one 10-1 and game two 11-1, bouncing their rival out of the championship race. 

Airport advanced to the lower state championship round and will play South Florence in a best-of-three series.  The Eagles defeated the Bruins in game one on Tuesday. 

Defending 5A champion Lexington still has a shot at defending its title after winning its district championship last week. 

The Wildcats beat Dorman two games in a row to move on to the upper state championship. Unlike the 4A bracket, the 5A Division I bracket has one round in the upper and lower state brackets.

Lexington will play a best-of-three series against Blythewood with a spot in the state championship on the line. The two teams played a home-and-home series against each other at the end of the regular season, splitting their two games. 

The stakes will be even higher this time with a spot in the championship on the line.

Game one of the series was  Tuesday, and Lexington won 4-3.

Batesburg-Leesville is the third Lexington County team eyeing a place in the state championship. 

The Panthers had an impressive regular season, which has carried into the postseason. The team is 5-0 in playoff games and entered this week a game away from the championship series. 

Batesburg-Leesville defeated Clinton 7-1 in the first round of the upper state bracket before beating Strom Thurmond 6-1 in the second. 

The Panthers faced Strom Thurmond again after the Rebels survived an elimination game. Batesburg-Leesville only has to beat Strom Thurmond once to advance, while the Rebels have to sweep the Panthers to avoid elimination. 

Should Batesburg-Leesville advance to the 2A championship series, action will get going this Saturday. The winner of the upper state will play the winner of the Phillip Simmons and East Clarendon lower state championship. 

The 5A Division I and 4A championship series won’t start until next week on May 27. Game two of the 2A series is also on May 27. Round two of the 4A and 5A championship series is set for May 29. 

All three game threes are scheduled for May 31 if necessary. That date also marks the end of the high school sports season. 

This week’s schedule

5A Division I

Lexington vs. Blythewood - Upper state championship (best 2 of 3) - May 20, 22, 24

4A

Airport vs. South Florence - Lower state championship (best 2 of 3) - May 20, 22, 24

2A

Batesburg-Leesville vs. Strom Thurmond - Upper state championship - May 21

Last week’s scores

5A Division I

Byrnes: 7, Dutch Fork: 2 - Elimination game

Lexington: 4, Dorman: 2 - Round two

Lexington: 14, Dorman: 10 - District championship

5A Division II

White Knoll: 4,  North Myrtle Beach: 2 - Elimination game

Chapin: 8, Lucy Beckham: 7 - Round two

Lucy Beckham: 5, Irmo: 0 - Elimination game

West Florence: 6, Chapin: 4 - Round three

Lucy Beckham: 3, Chapin: 2 - Elimination game

4A

Gilbert: 6, North Augusta: 2 - District championship game one

Gilbert: 1, North Augusta: 0 - District championship game two

Airport: 10, Gilbert: 1 - Lower state round one

Airport: 11, Gilbert: 1 - Lower state round one

3A 

Hanahan: 9, Swansea: 0 -  District championship 

2A

Batesburg-Leesville: 7, Buford: 1 - District championship 

Batesburg-Leesville: 7, Clinton: 1 - Upper state round one

Batesburg-Leesville: 6, Strom Thurmond: 1 - Upper state round two