West Columbia's Thomas Little pitches against Richland Post 6. The Richland Post 6 Pathfinders came to Airport High School June 9 to take on West Columbia Post 79. With game time temperatures in the high 90s, it promised to be a tough battle and it was as Richland Post 6 scored two runs in the eighth inning and held on for a 5- 4 victory.

The Pathfinders opened things up in the second with back- to- back one- out singles from Kevin O'Quinn and Doug Allen who scored following Justin Strauss's hit into a fielder's choice and Chandler Knox's single. Allen scored again in the fourth on a bases loaded single from Leland Shealy to give Richland a 3- 0 lead.

West Columbia got on the board in the bottom half of the fourth when third baseman Travis Brandenbury stole second and later scored when Ryan Burt hit into a fielder's choice. Left fielder Grif Spires drove in catcher Steven Griggs in the fifth inning to bring West Columbia within one.

Richland Post 6's Will Freeman pitches against West Columbia Post 79. In the seventh, second baseman Charles Martin's RBI single scored center fielder Zack Sharpe to tie the game at three.

In the eighth inning, Richland benefitted from West Columbia miscues as Kirk Sims was hit by a pitch then scored on a wild pitch and O'Quinn scored on an error giving the Pathfinders a 5- 3 lead.

West Columbia scored one more run in the bottom of the eighth when Burt reached home after Zack Sharpe hit into a fielder's choice. Those two runs proved to be too much for West Columbia as Richland reliever Joseph Whitaker slammed the door striking out two in the ninth.

West Columbia Post 79's first baseman Ryan Burt waits for a pick off throw from pitcher Thomas Little.