The Catawba Ridge baseball team took the season series from Fort Mill bouncing back after losing earlier in the week.
The Copperheads won 6-3 to improve to 6-2 overall on the season and 2-1 in Region 3-5A.
“We have to do some things creatively on offense to generate runs,” said Catawba Ridge head coach Stas Swerdzewski. “We aren’t going to wow you, but we are going to scrap and we have showed that so far. We use a lot of guys. We have strengths and weaknesses. The selfless attitude is going to be key. We are going to do a lot of mix and matching. The selfless attitude has been key for us early on this year.”
Fort Mill led the game off with a single from Cooper Diehl and threatened in the inning, but Catawba Ridge starter Ryan Cunnyngham was able to get out of the inning without allowing a run.
Catawba Ridge did strike in the bottom of the first with a bases loaded walk to Brayden Hughes to put the Copperheads up 1-0. Fort Mill starter Caden Stevens walked three in the inning for the Jackets.
Fort Mill again was able to get base runners in the second inning with a leadoff double by Ivan Conrad, but the Jackets left runners stranded.
The Copperheads added a second run in the bottom of the second. An error, a hit batter and a single by Ethan Solnick led to a one out sacrifice fly by Bryce Meil scoring Cunnyngham. Stevens regrouped and got out of the inning without allowing a run.
In the bottom of the third inning, Catawba Ridge’s Tyler Causey was hit by a pitch and made it to second base on a wild pitch. Caden Howard singled to put runners on the corners with one out for the Copperheads. James Carlin would hit a two-run single to push their lead to 4-0 ending the night for Stevens, who went two and a third innings allowing two runs on one hit, while walking three and striking out two. He would be replaced by Daniel McCloskey.
Fort Mill threatened in the top of the fourth putting two runners on base, but again left them stranded unable to score a run.
In the fifth inning, after Diehl was hit by a pitch, Jackson Shiplett came in to pitch. Cunnyngham went four innings allowing five hits while walking one and striking out four.
The bottom of the fifth saw Howard hit by a pitch and Carlin walked, before a sacrifice bunt by Shelnutt scored Andrew McCoy. Meil would add another run on a single to score Cunnyngham.
In the bottom of the sixth, Devon Pascarella came in to pitch for Fort Mill. McCloskey went one and two third innings allowing two walks and struck out two.
In the top of the seventh with two outs, Braden Richardson hit a three-run home run scoring Diehl and Caleb Trader singled before the late home run. Shiplett would bounce back to get a strikeout to end the game.
Both Meil and Carlin each had two RBIs to lead the Copperheads. Richardson led Fort Mill at the plate with three RBIs going 2-4.
Fort Mill dropped to 2-4 overall and 1-2 in the region.
“We beat ourselves,” said Fort Mill head coach Travis Collier. “We walked a lot of guys and hit a lot of guys. We outhit them, but they capitalized. We had guys in scoring position the first three innings. We have to execute early. I think it flips the game and allows us to settle in, especially on the mound. We will keep working and good things are coming.”
March 13 Roundup
The Nation Ford baseball team won the series over Northwestern with a 12-1 win. The Falcons improved to 5-2 overall and 2-1 in Region 3-5A play.
The Catawba Ridge girls’ soccer team beat Northwestern 9-0 to improve to 6-1-2 overall and 1-1 in Region 3-5A play.
The Fort Mill boys’ soccer team lost 2-0 to Clover to drop to 3-3 on the season and 0-2 in Region 3-5A.
The Fort Mill softball team lost to Fountain Inn 13-8 and Byrnes 9-3 at the Lady Rebel Invitational to drop to 2-4 overall on the season
The Catawba Ridge softball team beat West Oak 5-0 at the Lady Rebel Invitational to improve to 5-3 overall.
The Nation Ford softball team lost to Gray Collegiate falling 5-4 for their first loss of the season. The Falcons fell to 4-1 on the season.
Late Thursday, the Catawba Ridge boys’ lacrosse team fell to Dutch Ford 12-11 dropping to 1-4 on the season.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
