YORK – With a chance to clinch the Piedmont League title, Fort Mill Post 43 didn’t get off to the start they wanted against York Post 66.
Fort Mill fell 10-6 to York on the road at York Comprehensive High School dropping to 8-2 on the season.
Brayden Grogan and Jackson Carroll both singled in the first inning to put runners on the corners for Fort Mill. Matthew Scott walked to load the bases, but Post 43 was unable to scratch a run across.
York hit a leadoff double and then went up 1-0 after two outs in the inning. Post 66 continued to hit starter Carter Czapla as they would add another run to go up 2-0.
Nothing happened for Fort Mill in the top of the second inning going three up-three down.
The first three runners reached base in the second inning, including an RBI double to make it 3-0. Mental errors hurt Fort Mill at times as they struggled to get outs. York picked up four runs on four hits to go up 6-0 before the end of the inning.
In the top of the third, Max Dunlap got on with a walk to start things for Fort Mill. Czapla drove in Dunlap on an infield single putting Post 43 on the board. A York error put runners on the corners with two outs, but Fort Mill was unable to score again.
Scott took the mound for Post 43 in the bottom of the third inning. He faced the minimum, but Fort Mill was unable to give him any run support in the fourth inning.
York started hitting the ball opening the bottom of the fourth inning with three consecutive singles. Weird hops aided Post 66 as they continued to put the ball in play. York posted four more runs on four more hits to go up 10-1.
Post 66 threatened in the fifth inning, but Fort Mill held them from scoring.
In the sixth inning, Carroll reached on an error. He eventually scored after a stolen base and a throwing error.
Scott walked and reached third on the errors. Eli Cheske drove Scott in and scored later in the inning off a passed ball. Blake Chatman singled and York then went to their bullpen with a 10-4 lead.
After the change, Steven Coppola would drive in Chatman on a sacrifice cutting the York lead in half. Post 43 kept the rally going as Dunlap and Grogan both walked. A passed ball scored Dunlap to make it 10-6 and that was all Fort Mill was able to score in their half of the inning.
Post 43 held York in the bottom of the sixth and went to their bullpen in the final inning needing four runs to tie the game. Carroll reached on a dropped third strike to open the inning and then stole second with one out to get in scoring position. However, Fort Mill failed to score and evened the series at one game apiece for their second loss of the season.
Six Post 43 players each got a hit. Czapla and Cheske each had an RBI.
Fort Mill then has a week off before playing York again at home on Thursday, June 25.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
