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TO CONGRATULATE THE HILLCREST HIGH SCHOOL VARSITY BASEBALL TEAM, COACHES, AND SCHOOL OFFICIALS FOR A REMARKABLE SEASON AND TO HONOR THEM FOR WINNING THE 2021 SOUTH CAROLINA CLASS AAAAA STATE CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE.
Whereas, the South Carolina House of Representatives is pleased to learn that the Hillcrest High School baseball team of Greenville County took home the state title from the championship series held at Booster Field on Friday, June 4, 2021; and
Whereas, to the cheers of their exuberant fans, the Hillcrest High Rams garnered their team's first state championship in baseball by sweeping the best-of-three series against the fine, competitive Summerville High School Green Wave 8-7; and
Whereas, after a slow start to the season, the Rams were 5-4 for the first nine games and in fourth place in their region, but their bats woke up when the team hit a hot streak; and
Whereas, Hillcrest took a Region 1-AAAAA title, followed by playoff wins against Northwestern, Byrnes, and Boiling Springs in the district round and an Upper State championship series victory over Dorman High School; and
Whereas, the Rams bested Summerville 5-3 in game one, and the teams agreed to postpone game two of the series to Friday, originally scheduled to be played on Thursday, in order to allow the Hillcrest players to attend their school's graduation ceremony; and
Whereas, in the top of the first inning of the second game, Summerville scored two runs, and the Rams' senior Carson Elewine hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the first. The Rams entered the second inning 4-2; and
Whereas, the Green Wave responded with four runs in the third, but a home run from the Rams' Connor David in the bottom of the inning put Hillcrest ahead 8-6. Summerville scored another run in the top of the fourth, and from there both teams were shut down, allowing the Rams to seal their first championship series 8-7; and
Whereas, after coaching baseball for almost a quarter of a century, Dale Nelson joined the Rams as the head coach for the 2019-2020 season, which was shut down midseason due to COVID-19. The next year, Coach Nelson captured his first state title, a victory made all the sweeter because his son Peyton Nelson was a senior playing on the Rams' championship team; and
Whereas, in a sport that demands strategy, strength, and quickness, Coach Nelson and his skilled coaching staff maximized their own athletic ability and training to forge a championship-caliber team and teach these athletes lessons that will prove invaluable through life both on and off the diamond; and
Whereas, the South Carolina House of Representatives values the pride and recognition that the Hillcrest baseball players have brought to their school and their community, and the members look to hear of their continued accomplishments in the days ahead. Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:
That the members of the South Carolina House of Representatives, by this resolution, congratulate the Hillcrest High School varsity baseball team, coaches, and school officials for a remarkable season and honor them for winning the 2021 South Carolina Class AAAAA State Championship title.
Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be presented to Principal Bryan Skipper and Coach Dale Nelson.
This web page was last updated on June 8, 2021 at 1:16 PM