LUGOFF – The Catawba Ridge Copperheads baseball team ended their spring break with the only game of the week they had scheduled.
Lugoff-Elgin scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to get a 7-4 win over the Copperheads. The loss drops Catawba Ridge to 10-7 on the season. It was the fifth consecutive loss by the Copperheads on the season having been swept by Indian Land before entering spring break and falling to JL Mann on March 26. Their last win came on March 25 at York.
Lugoff-Elgin scored two in the bottom of the first to take an early lead, but it was short lived.
Catawba Ridge got on the board in the top of the second with four runs to take a 4-2 lead. Ryan Cunnyngham led the inning off with a single. After a one-out fielder’s choice, James Carlin singled leading to Alex Downes driving in Ian Babcock two batters later with a groundout. Jack Shellnut scored Carlin on a single to tie the game and Ethan Solnick doubled to drive in both Caden Howard, who reached on an error, and Shellnut.
Lugoff-Elgin scored runs in both the second and third innings to tie the game at four before the teams’ pitching staffs started keeping each other off the basepaths.
Ashton Mayo got the start on the mound for Catawba Ridge going two innings and allowing three runs on one hit, while walking three. Jackson Shiplett pitched an inning and two-thirds to replace Mayo and allowed one run on three hits, while walking two and striking two out, before Cole Stukitz came in.
The Copperheads had their chances in the fourth inning as Howard singled and Downes reached on an error. Shellnut then singled to load the bases, but a double play for the next Catawba Ridge hitter quickly shifted the momentum.
Shellnut and Jack Provenzano each had two hits in the game and Solnick had two RBIs. Stukitz got the loss going two innings and allowing three runs on two hits, while walking two and striking out three.
Catawba Ridge opens a three-game series on Monday, April 13 at Nation Ford to return to Region 3-5A play.
April 10 Roundup
The Nation Ford baseball team fell to Cardinal Newman 5-4 on the road on April 10 dropping them to 12-5 overall on the season.
Cardinal Newman scored two in the bottom of the seventh inning to get the win. Cardinal Newman scored two runs in the bottom of the first to go up early, before Nation Ford tied the game at two in the fourth inning. Cardinal Newman took a 3-2 lead in the sixth. The Falcons jumped ahead 4-3 in the top of the seventh, before the final rally by the home team. Michael Caropreso led Nation Ford going 2-3 for the only two hits in the game for the Falcons.
Nation Ford gets back into action on Monday, April 13 to start their three-game series against Catawba Ridge at home.
The Fort Mill baseball team finished four games in four days at the Southeastern Baseball Classic in Hartsville over spring break going 3-1 in the process to improve their record to 10-9 on the season. The Jackets beat Midland Valley 12-2 on Tuesday, April 7 and Central 10-1 on Wednesday, April 8. They lost to Pope Paul VI 8-1 on Thursday, April 9, before beating St. Mary’s 9-3 on Friday, April 10.
Against Midland Valley, Jackson Bendis and Caleb Trader had two hits in the game. Trader led with three RBIs and both JT Leonhart and Colton Reed each had two RBIs. Caden Stevens pitched six innings for the win allowing two runs on three hits and striking out seven.
Against Central, Sullivan Townsley pitched a two-hitter allowing one run, while striking out 10 without allowing a walk for the win. Colton Brandwood and Bendis each had two hits. Bendis added two RBIs as well in the game. Braden Richardson also had two RBIs.
Against St. Mary’s, Richardson got the win going three innings and allowing one hit, while striking out five. Ivan Conrad, Gabe Sipe, and Leonhardt each had two hits. Brandon Dobson and Leonhardt added two RBIs as well.
Fort Mill will return to action in a week’s time at home against the Carolina Royals on Friday, April 17.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
