The Marlboro County High baseball team was expecting to play a critical series against Camden this week.  The Bulldogs are still in the hunt for one of Region 6-AAA’s two playoff berths and need at least a split with Camden to keep those hopes alive.
That will have to wait, after a COVID-19 issue has arisen with both the baseball and softball programs.
“We are having to put the teams in a ten-day isolation.  For the baseball team, that began last Friday after their game with Lakewood,” said athletic director Bobby Collins.
The Bulldogs will now face a week with three region games that will decide their season.  They will travel to Camden next Monday, May 3.  The team  will host Lake City on Wednesday and then wrap up the region season against Camden on Thursday.
They will need to win at least two of the three games to have a hope at the playoffs.  
Marlboro will travel to Chesterfield for a non-region game on May 11 to complete the regular season.

Last week’s games
Last Friday, the Bulldogs dropped the second game in their series with Lakewood, 5-1.  Last Tuesday, they had defeated the Gators in dramatic fashion,  4-3.
Lakewood jumped to a 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the third inning.  The Gators added a run in the fourth.
Marlboro County got on the board with a run in the fifth but Lakewood added two in the bottom of the inning.
Michael Norris led the offensive effort with two hits and a run scored.  Thomas Smith, Braxton Hunt and Cutler Norris accounted for the only other hits for the Bulldogs.
Tanner Cheek pitched five innings, striking out two while allowing six hits and two earned runs.  Errors allowed the Gators to score three unearned runs.
Last Wednesday, the Bulldogs dropped a 7-6 extra-inning game to Cheraw.
A Hunt home run in the seventh tied the game at 5-5 and forced an extra inning.
The Bulldogs took a 6-5 lead in the eighth, when a sacrifice fly by Michael Norris scored Cutler Norris.
Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, a  two-out double drove in a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning, giving the Braves the win.
Marlboro outhit their hosts 15-8 but left 10 runners on base.
Markey Purvis led the attack, going 4 for 4 with an RBI.  Hunt was 3 for 5 with 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored.  Michael Norris was 2 for 3 with a run scored and an RBI.  Cutler Norris was 2 for 2 for 4.
Layton Hardee started on the mound, striking out five  while allowing seven hits and five earned runs.  Cutler Norris finished the game with four strikeouts.