ROCKY POINT - The South Columbus Stallions clinched at least a tie for the Waccamaw 1A-2A Conference baseball championship Tuesday by blasting host Heide Trask 17-3.

The game was halted after five innings by the 10-run rule.

Ethan Ward pitched the win for Coach Willie Gore’s Stallions, whose conference record now stands at 10-1. They are 17-5 for the season. Donovan Watts and Garrett Bullock stroked big extra-base hits to lead the explosive SCHS batting order.

The Stallion win, along with Whiteville’s 4-3 loss to North Brunswick, gives South Columbus at least a of share of its fifth Waccamaw Conference regular-season baseball title since 1996.

South Columbus will play host to second-place Whiteville tonight at 7 with the winner gaining the conference’s lone automatic 2A playoff berth.

“There is only one state playoff spot assured, so this is a winner-take-all deal,” said SCHS head coach Willie Gore. “Hopefully, our conference will be given a wild-card spot but you can’t count on that.

“It just boils down to the final game and that’s the way is should be,” he added.