The Fort Mill baseball team lost on a controversial double play falling 4-3 to the Dutch Fork Silver Foxes Thursday.
The loss drops the Jackets to an elimination game scheduled for Friday, May 3 against Boiling Springs at home.
The controversy stemmed from a potential double play where an umpire called Carter Blankinship for interference when sliding into second, which allegedly impeded the throw to first.
The scenario played out as follows – Fort Mill had the bases loaded with Andrew Craddock at the plate. Craddock hit the ball to shortstop, who threw it to second to start the double play when Blankinship slid into second. Had the interference call not been made the game would have been tied at four, as the run from the player on third would have counted potentially sending the game into extra innings.
Fort Mill head coach Travis Collier was subdued with his comments after the game and didn’t speak on the game ending play.
“We played great,” Collier said. “They just got one more than we did. I am super proud of our guys. They gave us a chance.”
To open the scoring, Fort Mill’s Josh Patterson led the game off reaching on an error. Michael Rogers would then double and Patterson would score after the ball was dropped at home when Dutch Fork went for the tag.
The Silver Foxes were able to tie things up in the second inning and started getting to Fort Mill starter Kody Romero as he wasn’t getting the calls he wanted much to the dismay of the Yellow Jackets’ faithful. Romero was able to settle down and get out of the inning without allowing another run.
In the third inning, Thomas Ealey led off with a single for the Jackets, but Fort Mill couldn’t get him across as they went to the fourth inning still tied 1-1.
That score didn’t last long as Dutch Fork got runners on the corners without an out. A Fort Mill throwing error would give the Silver Foxes the lead on the next batter. Dutch Fork added a sacrifice fly and started hitting Romero. With the bases loaded, he would eventually come out of the game as Fort Mill went to Tucker Gandy. Gandy would come in and get the Jackets out of the jam as they trailed 3-1.
Romero would give up three runs on six hits, while walking two and striking out one.
Fort Mill threatened in the bottom half of the inning. Brent Laughter would hit a two out single and John Dober would walk to put two runners on, but again the Jackets failed to score.
Gandy pitched well, but Fort Mill struggled at the plate as the game went on.
In the top of the sixth, the Silver Foxes added to their lead after a runner reached on a Fort Mill error and then scored on a two out single.
The Jackets got one back in the bottom of the sixth with a solo shot by Laughter to make it 4-2.
In the seventh inning, Leonhardt got hit by a pitch and Ealey single, before Michael Rogers singled to score Leonhardt with one out. Blankinship would be intentionally walked and that is when the controversy would start soon after.
The loss dropped Fort Mill to 21-7 on the season.
May 2 Roundup
The Nation Ford baseball team fell 3-1 to Blythewood in an elimination game in the 5A playoffs. The Falcons were led at the plate by Bradyn Deaton who went 1-3 with the only RBI for Nation Ford. The Falcons finished 11-15 on the season.
The Catawba Ridge softball team beat Midland Valley 5-0 as Chloe Burger tossed a two hitter and the Copperheads got their sixth consecutive shutout. Burger collected her 200th strikeout of the season and Kendra Murray got her 100th hit as a Copperhead. Mia Kovacs went 2-3 with two RBIs and Jaidyn Harris went 4-4. Catawba Ridge improved to 23-2.
The Nation Ford girls’ soccer team beat Dorman 3-0 in the second round of the 5A playoffs. Nation Ford improved to 13-7 overall and will play JL Mann in the third round Saturday, May 4.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
