Local boy leads Carolina over Wofford in blowout

Former Greenbrier High School baseball star Nolan Belcher got the start on the mound Tuesday night as South Carolina played host to Wofford.

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After having problems with tightness in his elbow, Belcher had not started a game since March 23 and had not pitched at all in a month before his five-inning effort versus the Terriers.

Belcher worked five innings of no-hit ball in a 17-4 Gamecock victory. Belcher walked four batters and had four strikeouts.

The game ended up being a blowout, but Belcher was working in a tight matchup most of the night. The Gamecocks led only 1-0 going into the bottom of the 4th, then blasted six runs.

Last season, Belcher was one of the more effective pitchers in the Southeastern Conference, earning SEC All-Freshman team honors. South Carolina could certainly use him as they try to make runs at an SEC title and a College World Series appearance.

For the season, Belcher is 3-0 with a 2.19 ERA in nine appearances, including five starts. He has 28 strikeouts in just 24.1 innings of work. Opposing hitters are batting just .195.

Rau having huge year for Thomson

The Thomson Bulldogs improved to 24-4 on the season with a two-game sweep of Cairo in round two of the AAA state playoffs. In Game 1 on Wednesday, Thomson junior shortstop Nick Rau blasted a home run over the left field fence.

That has become a regular occurrence this season in McDuffie County. It was Rau's 11th homer of the season. Rau is hitting better than .400 on the season and is among the area's top run producers.

If the name Rau seems familiar to local baseball fans, that is because his father, Carl, was a standout for Terry Holder and the Evans Knights from 1985-87.