Did SC Department of Health Dr. Simmer lie under oath about threats and vandalism during his failed confirmation hearing in March? One Watch Dog group thinks so.

During a senate confirmation hearing in March of this year Interim South Carolina Department of Health Dr. Edward Simmer testified under oath that he had been “threatened” his and his wife’s car had been “Vandalized” in an attempt to “intimidate” him.  A story Palmetto Examiner covered.

“I have been threatened. Our car has been vandalized in an attempt to intimidate me,” Simmer said during testimony, “Peggy’s absence is not a show of non-support, but rather a shield to protect her from a potentially hostile encounter with opponents and those that wish us harm.”

Simmer later told reporters from the Post and Courier the car he shares with his wife was vandalized with a device attached to the license plate with two wires that were connected to a battery pack, then went into a box made to look like a bomb.

“Thankfully it wasn’t (a bomb), but it was frightening,” Simmer said.

But did Dr. Simmer lie under oath about the threats and the fake car bomb to the media? A South Carolina Watch Dog group thinks he may have.

According to Palmetto State Watch Foundation that posted on you tube a video of a press question and answer session with Simmer, the media asked him what were the most serious threats that he had received. Simmer described letters that read, “you need to be held accountable; we’re going to hurt you,” and that something was placed on his car that “was a clear attempt to make something look like a bomb.”

A non-member of the press, Evan Mulch, asks from the back if Simmer reported any of this to the police?

This creates quite the commotion from the press in the room who turn to Mulch and shut him down telling him not to talk because, “you’re not the news staff.”

Apparently the press doesn’t like it when non press people try to do their jobs better than they do.

Of course, Simmer doesn’t answer that question and the press moves on without ever asking that question, but asks him to describe the bomb.

I think Mulch’s question was a great question and very relevant since Simmer is basically alleging threats of terrorism on a state official, but what do I know, I went to junior college?

Since the media didn’t seem to wonder if Simmer had reported acts of terrorism on a state official to the police, Alaina Moore, from Palmetto State Watch Foundation did her own digging.

Moore sent FOIA requests to both the Beaufort and Beaufort County the police departments were Simmer and his wife live, the request was answered that no police report had been filed. 
 

PE reached out to the State’s Attorney General’s Office and South Carolina Law Enforcement Division asking if there is an ongoing investigation into these threats of a state government official. The Attorney General’s Office told us to ask SLED.  SLED never responded.

Why did Simmer not report these threats to law enforcement? Especially as a state official? These were acts that could be considered terrorism. Unless he was lying about them, which if he did lie, he did so under oath, and that could be considered perjury.

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What Say You? Got something you'd like to say? Letter to the Editor (Guest Column), praises, criticism, hate mail, news story tip or just want to say, howdy. Send them to Tony@palmettoexaminer.com

Top dogs in S.C. Republican primary for governor go on the attack, my apologies to dogs and possibly to clowns

Attorney General Alan Wilson (left) and U.S. Congresswoman
Nancy Mace, SC-01, (Right) are the current frontrunners
in the Republican primary for governor.

Written by Tony J. Spain, Palmetto Examiner
August 28, 2025

I haven’t picked a dog in the fight for the republican nomination for South Carolina Governor, but I know which dogs it won’t be, and I know the two dogs I’m leaning toward, but I’m still undecided with no dog in the fight yet.

I will tell you it won’t be either of the two top dogs in the race, U.S. Congresswoman Nancy Mace and Attorney General Alan Wilson who continue to fight like two rabid dogs.  

The latest biting comes after an active shooter false alarm at the University of South Carolina. The top prosecutor in the state was highly critical of Mace for what he called a “reckless” commentary on social media about what has now been deemed a “swatting hoax” by the University of South Carolina police.

While the news broke and police rushed to the scene to secure the area and search for a shooter, social media was exploding with information as it does by its very nature.

In fact, the first information I received about the situation was at approximately 6:40 p.m. was from a friend on Facebook who works as a chef at the University posting, active shooter on Campus of USC, my team is hiding in the walk-in cooler. Not a drill.

Others on social media posted photos and videos of astudent carrying an umbrella mistaken by many as a long gun.

Mace, who has a child that attends the University of South Carolina referenced this individual on her social media page as the situation unfolded. 

Wilson’s campaign highly criticized her for the social media posts calling it “a reckless pattern of behavior that undermines both public safety and respect for the law.”

“If Nancy Mace truly stood for law and order, she’d act like it,” Wilson’s deputy campaign manager Claire Brady said in a press release from Wilson’s campaign. “Instead, on Sunday, she doxed an innocent college student during an active shooting hoax unnecessarily putting the student in harms way.”

The press release goes on to criticize Mace further.

“While Mace was doxxing innocent students carrying an umbrella, Alan Wilson was on the phone with law enforcement, university officials, and U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, working to keep people safe and ensure accurate information was shared”

Mace addressed the swatting hoax on Sunday evening.

“As the mom of a student at USC, tonight was terrifying. Frantically calling my child to see if they were at the library or barricaded somewhere else on campus, making sure they and their roommates were safe, your heart just drops to the ground, for a minute you can’t breathe. I am eternally grateful for law enforcement from every agency who immediately went to work to protect our kids,” said Mace. “The security at USC are trained by the FBI, and watching this an many other videos, that much is evident. They were swift, they were professional, and they were fast.  And the students, sharing information to protect each other, being vigilant, was pretty incredible to watch too. God bless each and every one!”

So, basically, Wilson was doing his job he was elected to do as Attorney General and Mace was being a concerned mother.

Also, it’s important to notice the order of events and the details here. The two phone calls to police about an active shooter came before the video. The police were not called because of the video of a student carrying an umbrella mistaken for a rifle. There were several videos taken by others after the active shooter situation had been announced by Carolina Alert.

About an hour later, Carolina Alert, gave a description of the shooter as “a white male with black pants, approximately 6 feet tall and still in the area.” It is not clear if the description came from the video of the student wearing black shorts walking with the umbrella or if the video was taken after the description was released by Carolina Alert. Either way it’s not like Mace took the video herself and released it.

Wilson’s campaign also accused Mace of not respecting the law by parking in a handicap spot during a campaign stop in the same press release.

“On Monday she parked her official vehicle in a handicapped spot to give herself VIP access at a campaign event,” Claire said in the release. “Nancy Mace claims she stands for law and order, but her actions show she can’t be trusted.”

As expected, Mace’s campaign is not going to take the attack. Spokeswoman Sydney Long for Team Mace said her vehicle was parked in a handicapped spot because one of her campaign staffers has a permanent disability.

“The vehicle in question was parked in a handicapped space because a member of our team, who has a permanent disability license plate and status, was present,” Long said. “Maybe he should focus on prosecuting pedophiles and not attacking a disabled staffer for cheap political points.”

Mace’s disabled team member, Lisa McCulley, pushed back at Wilson as well.

“As a permanently disabled member of Team Mace, I am outraged that Alan Wilson would stoop so low as to attack Nancy Mace by weaponizing my disability,” McCulley posted on Facebook. “I live every day with a permanent disability and even have a disability plate that reflects that. It is disgraceful that the attorney general of this state doesn’t even grasp that not all disabilities are not visible.”

But this was not the beginning of this feud. Mace has been on the attack before either one of them announced their campaign for governor accusing Wilson as being soft on pedophiles as Attorney General bringing up several old cases that received plea bargain deals and light sentences.

“Alan Wilson let a man who hoarded ch*ld p*rn, including images of toddlers having s*x with animals, cut a plea deal in 15 minutes and the guy only got one day in jail,” Mace posted about a case she’s referenced repeatedly of social media. “Alan Wilson drops the worst p*dophile charges and calls it justice. I call it protecting pedophiles.”

You can find criticism with a lot of things Wilson or any elected official has done that’s held elected office for a decade and a half, but being soft on pedos is not a criticism I’d choose. And Mace fails to mention that prosecutors don’t give sentencing, judges do. Wilson finally had had enough and responded to her criticism saying “enough is enough. I won’t allow someone to use lies, misinformation, and half truths (at best) to cast negative light on hardworking men and women of law enforcement.”  

“Our objective is to indict, prosecute, and get them added to the Sex Offender Registry. Since I took office I’ve grown the (Internet Crimes Against Children) ICAC task force 4x its original size and executed just under 3,000 ICAC arrests,” Wilson said in a statement on social media. “When the would-be candidate for Governor criticizes the Attorney General’s Office, she’s purposefully omitting the fact judges give sentences, not prosecutors. When she criticizes prosecutors, she’s ignorant to the fact that often, our office is working in sync with federal agencies that can get more time.”

As recently as last week, Mace was back in attack dog mode going after Wilson again posting a video from a January event on social media alleging Wilson held the door open for law enforcement as they arrested a 78-year-old man for peacefully showing up to an Alan Wilson event. In the video, it appears Wilson just arrived at the event and is confused by what’s going on. You can watch it here.

In a separate Facebook post a day earlier Mace posted a photo of 78-year-old Skip Hoagland, the man arrested at the Wilson event.

“Constituents are bombarding my office with calls to say he is now sitting in jail for TWO WEEKS for peacefully showing up to an event for which they say he was an invited guest,” Mace posted. “We should not be JAILING people for showing up and peacefully exercising their First Amendment rights. If you didn’t know South Carolina’s justice system is being led by a corrupt AG. Here’s more proof. Wild.”

Palmetto Examiner has no idea what happened leading up to the arrest on the day in the video that took place in January, but he was found guilty of trespassing and sentenced to 15 days in jail. He was then released early after pressure from Mace and U.S. Senate candidate Mark Lynch was applied to the Attorney General’s office.

 As it also turns out, Hoagland is a founder of a self-proclaimed watchdog activist known for his disruptive behavior at local council meetings and public forums and has a habit of getting arrested, more than 22 times since June of 2023.

In 2022, a jury determined Hoagland had to pay then-Blufton Mayor Lisa Sulka $40 million in actual damages and $10 million in punitive damages for defamatory statements made in emails that she had committed a crime and was unfit for office.  

In March 2023, Hoagland was arrested again for disrupting a Bluffton Town Council meeting, to which the town of Bluffton released a press release with video about the incident.

The top dogs in this field of candidates for the republican nomination for governor will no doubt continue to attack each other. It’s in the nature of the beast, but now that I think about it, calling them dogs was wrong and an insult to dogs.

They are clowns, but still not bigger clowns than the only Democrat candidate for Governor Mullins McCleod, still refusing to bow out at the request of his own party chair. Welcome to the clown show of the South Carolina governor's race. Sure to be entertaining and more than likely insulting to clowns as well.

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About the Author: Tony Spain is a former candidate for Richland County Council 2020 and an award winning former military photographer and journalist while in the Public Affairs Office for the U.S. Army. His photos and writing have been published in numerous publications such as The Commercial News, Danville, Ill.; The Paraglide, Fort Bragg, N.C.; Soldier of Fortune Magazine; The State Newspaper, Columbia, S.C., and more.

He lives in Columbia, S.C.

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 What Say You? Got something you'd like to say? Letter to the Editor (Guest Column), praises, criticism, hate mail, news story tip or just want to say, howdy. Send them to Tony@palmettoexaminer.com

News and Views from Around the State: Wednesday, August 27, 2025

College Football returns this week!
South Carolina University, Williams Brice Stadium,
 Nov. 2, 2024, a sold-out crowd before Texas A&M game.
The Gamecocks upset No.10 Texas A&M 44-20. 
Photo by Tony J. Spain, Palmetto Examiner

 SOUTH CAROLINA: LAW: South Carolina’s blasphemy laws are still on the books: South Carolina is one of six states that still has anti-blasphemy laws and is punishable by jail. It’s a misdemeanor to use blasphemous, profane, or obscene language at or near a house of worship. Who knew?

SOUTH CAROLINA: ENERGY: ENVIRONMENT: A map of a secret gas pipeline route through South Carolina revealed: A secret gas pipeline colluded by energy companies, politicians and bureaucrats. What could possibly go wrong? Everyone wants energy. No one wants rolling black outs, but no one wants what needs to be done to get energy in their backyard.

COLUMBIA: Conversion Therapy ban vote didn’t pack as much political punch for elections as some advocates expected: Shocking, issues that affect 1 percent of the population have little political punch. I’d have never guessed.

SOUTH CAROLINA: CHARLESTON: BUSINESS: SC PORTS AUTHORITY CEO RESIGNS WITH NEARLY $1 MILLION SEVERANCE PACKAGE: You think I could walk into my job and quit today and walk out with pay, contribution to my retirement and a consultant gig with a $350 an hour fee on an as needed basis for said company? That’s what now former SCPA CEO Barbara Melvin did last week.

SOUTH CAROLINA: EDUCATION: Editorial: Free public charter and private schools on the rise: Stephen Gilchrist makes the argument for charter and private schools that have more parent and community involvement which makes for safer and better education choices that leads to more marketable skills for a robust economy. “Data shows that communities with dynamic charter school sectors experience higher levels of educational attainment, greater economic growth, and increased competitiveness.”

SOUTH CAROLINA: HORRY COUNTY: DEMOCRAT PARTY: Horry County Democrat Party to hold a new convention with State Party overwatch: The South Carolina Democrat party has granted an appeal to the Horry County Democrat Party to hold a new 2025 convention to ensure elections are conducted fairly and transparently under the party rules. The State Party will oversee the election and announce the new date soon.

SOUTH CAROLINA: REPUBLICAN PARTY: SCGOP “runs like organized crime” with Chairman Drew McKissick, “the boss”: “The 2025 SCGOP convention was full of illegally credentialed collaborators posing as delegates” in a tactic that was used to stop her candidacy for state chair in its tracks, says Barbara Arthur in a piece for FITSNEWS.

COLUMBIA: FORT JACKSON: MILITARY VETERANS: Unclaimed veterans given ceremonial burial at Fort Jackson National Cemetery: Five veterans without family to claim them was laid to rest Friday at Fort Jackson National Cemetery with full military honors provided by American Legion Post 193, Chapin, S.C.

SOUTH CAROLINA: SPORTS: COLLEGE FOOTBALL: NCAA clears Gamecocks top running back to play in 2025: This is huge news for Shane Beamer and the Gamecocks! The Gamecocks have received confirmation from the NCAA that transfer running back Rashul Faison will be available to play in 2025, granting him another year of eligibility. Faison is a transfer from Utah State where he rushed for 1,109 yards and eight touchdowns on 198 carries and posted five 100-yard rushing games.

MIDLANDS: IRMO: SPORTS: Irmo to hold a community celebration for Irmo Little League: A fan celebration of the Irmo Little League team after their historic run is scheduled for Sept 3, 6:30 p.m., Friarsgate Park, 1712 Chadford Rd., Irmo. These kids deserve it! They made Irmo and the entire state of South Carolina proud and brought us together in community with their determination, never quit attitude and sportsmanship. 

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About the Author: Tony Spain is a former candidate for Richland County Council 2020 and an award winning former military photographer and journalist while in the Public Affairs Office for the U.S. Army. His photos and writing have been published in numerous publications such as The Commercial News, Danville, Ill.; The Paraglide, Fort Bragg, N.C.; Soldier of Fortune Magazine; The State Newspaper, Columbia, S.C., and more.

He lives in Columbia, S.C.

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What Say You? Got something you'd like to say? Letter to the Editor (Guest Column), praises, criticism, hate mail, news story tip or just want to say, howdy. Send them to Tony@palmettoexaminer.com

Defiant Democrat: Mullins McLeod is determined to sail his gubernatorial campaign into the political storm of his own creation and go down with the ship even when offered a lifeboat

Written by Tony J. Spain, Palmetto Examiner
August 25, 2025

Prominent Charleston lawyer, two-time Charleston County Democrat Party Chairman and current gubernatorial candidate Mullins McLeod wants to be governor, and he’s telling you why in the back of a police car. If that’s not problematic enough for the South Carolina Democrat Party, McLeod is refusing to drop out of the race, even after state Democrat Party Chairwoman Christale Spain (no relation to this author) has asked him to get out of the race.

“After reviewing the transcript of the dash cam footage from his recent arrest, it is clear that Mr. McCleod is navigating profound challenges and should focus on his mental health and emotional well-being instead of a campaign for governor,” Spain said in a statement shortly after the dash cam footage made it to the media. “We offer him compassion and pray he finds the support he needs.”  

The plea came two days after McLeod became the first Democrat to enter the 2026 governor’s race, and it would appear McCleod has no intentions of taking Spain’s advice and dropping out anytime soon.

In a video posted on his facebook page Mullins tells voters, “I will not stand down.”

“I felt confident they would come for me, because I am a threat to the establishment,” McLeod said in the video statement. “No matter how much they try to silence me. No matter how much they try to get me out of this race, I will not stand down.”

McLeod then talks about how he starts his normal days and recites a morning prayer he says before showering and taking his son to school in a, hey look at me. I’m really normal, like you.

He finishes the video saying he’s going to keep moving forward through what he calls a “political storm.”

“I know the political storm is all around me, but my rudder is true,” he said. “My plan and my purpose has never been clearer. So, I’m going to keep my head down. I’m going to keep working. I’m going to keep being the perfectly imperfect person God made me to be.”

But this political storm is of Mullins' own making. According to the written police report obtained and shared courtesy of FITSNEWS, On the evening of Wednesday, May 14, 2025, an unknown individual was “observed walking along the battery screaming” and could be heard from “approximately one city block away.” The male was “observed to be wearing only his underwear and shoes” as the officer approached him. When asked about his unusual behavior he “began yelling louder and locking out his arms.” When asked for his name since he had no I.D., he replied “God” and “Superman.” He was then arrested and booked as “John Doe.” He was later identified as Mullis McCleod.

Police officers noted his “symptoms to be typical of an individual under the influence of a stimulant narcotic.” While in lock up, Mullins “continued to ramble incoherently and at one point lashed out and kicked another prisoner,” according to the report.

And if the written account wasn’t a storm bad enough, the video and audio from the dashcam footage is the hurricane that is sinking the campaign ship even faster.

In the dashcam video that has gone viral the footage from the Charleston Police paints the picture of what happened after he was placed in the back of the police car. McLeod berates the police officers arresting him, drops several N-bombs, speaks with dead attorneys and hurls threats at his Republican gubernatorial rivals.

The video begins with McCleod rambling about a class-action lawsuits and little money for the victims. When asked for his name by an officer, McCleod says he’s “one of the most just humans to ever walk on soil.”

Once the doors closes, he keeps talking, I can’t connect these dots yet, but if this is going where I think it could be heading, I think I just figured out the president of the United States is my cousin. So, trust me at this point, nothing is crazier either than you and me either being related or you being not guilty. That’s just the way my brain has been trained.”

Then the yelling and tirade starts.

 “Alan f---ing Wilson, I’m daring you right now, motherf-----. While you’ve got all the teeth in your mouth, you’d better be in front of the people’s house, which my cousin, Dan McLeod, used to have the wheel, you better be outside holding a press conference telling the f---ing world the head you win and tail you win conversation we had.”

McLeod then goes after Nancy, we assume governor hopeful Nancy Mace. He repeatedly calls her a b**ch and says she’s using the playbook of the late Republican strategist Lee Atwater.

“Tell the world right now, what you did in the halls of Congress was the greatest sin ever committed in the history of this nation,” McLeod continues in reference to Mace’s scorch of the Earth speech given on the floor of U.S. House of Representatives where she accused her ex-fiance and three other men of several sexual crimes of rape and videotaping women.

McLeod also states, “I don’t ever want a billion dollars. If I had a billion dollars, my stupid a** would try to do something like going to the moon,” in what appears to be a reference to Elon Musk.

Since, McLeod is taking his campaign full steam ahead without apology for any of his actions, doubling down by releasing a video of him walking along the Charleston battery with a few thoughts about what had happened.

Not thoughts of an apology or some kind of rational explanation, but to dispute the police report of him being in his underwear at the time of arrest. 

“The way you can tell the difference between underwear and shorts is underwear does not have two front pockets and drawstrings, McLeod said pulling the pocket lining out of his shorts.

“This is a pair of shorts,” he stated as to add evidence into the court of public opinion, because that’s what matters here, whether he was in his boxers or shorts. It makes all the difference!

He also wants you to know, going shirtless on the beach, well that’s, FREEDOM!

“The second thing I wanted to share with you is…there’s something about being on the water’s edge that makes you feel free. I think that’s why people take their shirts off at the beach—it’s hot—and they feel free. That’s what freedom is all about. On the battery, people walk, run and jog, morning, day and night—oftentimes with their shirts off. Why? Because they’re on the water’s edge and that’s just something that guys do to feel free—and there’s nothing wrong with that.”

Apparently, McLeod has decided to go full sail ahead into the political storm of his own creation and go down with the ship to the bottom even when offered a lifeboat off.

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About the Author: Tony Spain is a former candidate for Richland County Council 2020 and an award winning former military photographer and journalist while in the Public Affairs Office for the U.S. Army. His photos and writing have been published in numerous publications such as The Commercial News, Danville, Ill.; The Paraglide, Fort Bragg, N.C.; Soldier of Fortune Magazine; The State Newspaper, Columbia, S.C., and more.

He lives in Columbia, S.C.

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What Say You? Got something you'd like to say? Letter to the Editor (Guest Column), praises, criticism, hate mail, news story tip or just want to say, howdy. Send them to Tony@palmettoexaminer.com

No Show Murphy resigns from SC House District 98: Special Election scheduled

 

South Carolina House Representative Chris Murphy, R-Dorchester,
 is retiring. Murphy was first elected to House District 98 in 2010.

Written by Tony J. Spain, Palmetto Examiner
August 22, 2025

South Carolina State Representative Chris Murphy, R-Dorchester, who was a frequent no show at the state house missing approximately 48% of votes the last legislative session, according to an analysis of state house records, has resigned.

Murphy, 56, who has represented House District 98 since 2010, is serving his eighth term and was once the chairman of the S.C. House judiciary committee with a promising future has struggled with attendance issues for years due to alleged substance abuse issues.

In 2022 Murphy was absent from key House judiciary committee meetings he was supposed to chair due to an undisclosed illness before entering a North Carolina rehabilitation treatment facility for alcohol abuse that sidelined him for much of the session that year.

“It has come to my attention that questions about my health have arisen publicly,” Murphy said in a September 2022 statement to The State newspaper reporter Joseph Bustos. “While this issue is deeply personal, I would like to share that after struggling with alcohol abuse, I have sought treatment and am currently taking steps to ensure I am healthy moving forward.”

Concerns of Murphy’s struggles with alcohol have resurfaced in 2025 as the House member missed almost half of all votes last session and S.C. House Speaker Murrell Smith granted him excused absences for the final two-and-a-half months of the 2025 legislative session.

“While this decision is bittersweet, my retirement will allow me to spend more time with my loved ones and focus on my work outside of public office,” Murphy wrote in his resignation letter.

It is not known who will run to fill the seat that represents portions of North Charleston and Dorchester County. Murphy will finish out his current term that ends Jan 5, 2026, but the special election process to replace him will begin quickly because of a “irrevocable” declaration in his resignation letter triggers a special election per S.C. Code of Laws s8-1-145.

Filing for the special election will begin Sept 5, 2025, and close Sept. 13, 2025. The primary election is scheduled to take place Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025, with runoffs scheduled for two weeks later on Nov. 18, if needed.

The special election will take place Jan. 6, 2026.

The district is considered safe Republican territory with Murphy comfortably winning his past two elections by 14 points or more.

About the Author: Tony Spain is a former candidate for Richland County Council 2020 and an award winning former military photographer and journalist while in the Public Affairs Office for the U.S. Army. His photos and writing have been published in numerous publications such as The Commercial News, Danville, Ill.; The Paraglide, Fort Bragg, N.C.; Soldier of Fortune Magazine; The State Newspaper, Columbia, S.C., and more.

He lives in Columbia, S.C.

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What Say You? Got something you'd like to say? Letter to the Editor (Guest Column), praises, criticism, hate mail, news story tip or just want to say, howdy. Send them to Tony@palmettoexaminer.com 

Magic runs dry for Irmo in Little League World Series: Finishes third best in U.S.

Irmo Little League representing the Southeast region in the 
Little League World Series had a magical run after upsetting 
defending champions Lake Murray, Florida in the regional
championship game to get into the series. The magic
 ran out in the quarterfinals with a 5-3 loss to Las Vegas. 

Written by Tony J. Spain, Palmetto Examiner
August 22, 2025

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (PE) – Irmo Little League had a 3-2 lead in the top of the 6^th and was two outs away from reaching the U.S. championship game of the Little League World Series, but Las Vegas’ Garret Gallegos had other ideas hitting a three run shot over the right center field wall that helped the Nevada team to a 5-3 win and end the magical season and run for the South Carolina team.

The quarterfinals game was a rematch from earlier in the tournament that Las Vegas won 1-0 in extra innings.

Irmo had a last chance for more magic in the bottom of the 6^th with a 1 out Preston Ware single up the middle off of the second baseman’s glove to bring the tying run to the plate, but Ware was then thrown out at second advancing on a wild pitch when he overran the bag and was tagged out. Las Vegas pitcher Luke D’Ambrosio struck out Joe Giulietti to end the game.

Gallegos opened the scoring in the top of the 2^nd with an RBI double to left scoring Ethan Robertson to give Las Vegas the 1-0 advantage.

Irmo answered in the bottom of the second with a Brody Miller solo-homerun to left to tie the game at 1.

Las Vegas got another run in the third when Irmo tried to throw out Robertson for the third out of the inning, but he was safe, and Jayden Lee scored from third to give Las Vegas back the lead 2-1.

Giulietti hit a long ball to left for a solo-homerun in the 4^th to tie the game back up at 2.

Irmo got a 2 out bases loaded walk in the top of the sixth to take the lead 3-2. D’Ambrosio then struck out Brayden Gerard on a 2-2 pitch to get out of the jam.

Gallegos’ three run homer in the sixth would be the game winner advancing Las Vegas to the U.S. Championship of the Little League World Series.

Irmo returns to South Carolina third best in the U.S.

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About the Author: Tony Spain is a former candidate for Richland County Council 2020 and an award winning former military photographer and journalist while in the Public Affairs Office for the U.S. Army. His photos and writing have been published in numerous publications such as The Commercial News, Danville, Ill.; The Paraglide, Fort Bragg, N.C.; Soldier of Fortune Magazine; The State Newspaper, Columbia, S.C., and more.

He lives in Columbia, S.C.

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What Say You? Got something you'd like to say? Letter to the Editor (Guest Column), praises, criticism, hate mail, news story tip or just want to say, howdy. Send them to Tony@palmettoexaminer.com 

Don’t stop believing: Irmo believes for an extra inning six run comeback

Written by Tony J. Spain, Palmetto Examiner
August 21, 2025 

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (PE) -- After Irmo gave up five runs in the top of the seventh, Irmo manager Dave Bogan found his team down five runs facing elimination. What was his message? “Believe.”

“Believe,” said Bogan. “Believe, alright? Let’s go. We can hit this kid and we can hit him hard, let’s believe. O.K., let’s go!”

What happened next was, well, Irmolievable!  

Teams start with a runner on second in extra innings, so Palmer Steele is placed on second. Ethan Bennet walks. Sutton Gravelle hits a deep single to left. Steele Scores to make it 6-2. Bennet advances to second.

Braydon Gerard hits a double over the centerfielder’s head. Bennet scores to make it 6-3.

Bubba McQuilkin walks to load the bases with nobody out. Preston Ware walks Gravelle scores to make it 6-4.

Joe Giulietti strikes out. Brady Westbrook walks. Gerard scores to make it 6-5.

Then the manager’s son, Andrew Bogan hits a 2 run double off the tip of the glove of a fully extended diving Grayson Rehfeldt in right field for the 7-6 walk-off game winner.

South Dakota led most of the night after taking a 1-0 lead on a Bohde Larson sacrifice fly to center that scored Camden Tycz.

Irmo tied the game in the bottom of the sixth when Jacob Gibson walked with the bases loaded to score Brady Westbrook which ended up sending the game to extra innings.

Irmo will play a rematch against Las Vegas in an elimination game tonight at 7 p.m. on ESPN. Las Vegas won the earlier matchup 1-0.  

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About the Author: Tony Spain is a former candidate for Richland County Council 2020 and an award winning former military photographer and journalist while in the Public Affairs Office for the U.S. Army. His photos and writing have been published in numerous publications such as The Commercial News, Danville, Ill.; The Paraglide, Fort Bragg, N.C.; Soldier of Fortune Magazine; The State Newspaper, Columbia, S.C., and more.

He lives in Columbia, S.C.

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