Six errors and only four hits doomed the Catawba Ridge softball team’s chances for a win against the Indian Land Warriors Thursday evening.
Indian Land beat the Copperheads 9-1 and won the series 2-1 as Catawba Ridge fell to 7-3 in Region 3-4A and 15-7 overall. Catawba Ridge still has two more region games left to fight for a playoff spot. The Copperheads currently sit at third in the region as Indian Land and Lancaster are currently first and second. Indian Land and Lancaster will play a critical three game series next week with the winner most likely being the team that wins the region. Only the top two teams make the playoffs from each region this year due to COVID-19 limitations.
On Thursday, Indian Land and Catawba Ridge battled through four scoreless innings when in the top of the fifth the Warriors scored four runs on two hits and two errors by the Copperheads. A three-run home run was the catalyst that inning that helped to give Indian Land the momentum. That momentum was all the Warriors needed as the struggles continued for Catawba Ridge.
The Warriors added a run in the sixth on another Catawba Ridge error and two singles, and then in the top of the seventh had another four-run inning. In the seventh, Indian Land put up their second four-run frame off two more Copperhead errors and three hits from the Warriors.
Offensively, Catawba Ridge only got four hits with Janelle Ilacqua getting half of those going 2-4 in the game. Braylon Lawrence and Kendra Murray picked up the other two hits for the Copperheads.
Up next for Catawba Ridge is an away game at Nation Ford Monday in a non-region match-up. The Copperheads are currently scheduled to finish their region games May 7 against South Pointe and May 11 against York with both games being at home.
Softball
Fort Mill improved to 4-1 in Region 3-5A with a 7-2 win over Gaffney Friday night on the road. The Jackets are now 9-3 overall. Maddie Drerup struck out 12 in the win for Fort Mill.
Nation Ford lost to Clover 8-5 Friday as the Blue Eagles took an early lead and never looked back. The Falcons fall to 11-7 overall and 2-3 in Region 3-5A.
Baseball
Fort Mill completed its season sweep of Gaffney beating them 6-4 in game three of their series to improve to 6-3 in Region 3-5A and 12-8 overall. Fort Mill used three pitchers in the game as Tommy Stouffer got the win for the Jackets. Scott Young went 3-3 with two RBI and Riley Reyes went 2-3 with two RBI to lead Fort Mill at the plate.
Catawba Ridge shutout Indian Land 10-0 to improve to 8-3 in Region 3-4A and 13-6-1 overall. With the win they also swept the season series against the Warriors 3-0. Harrison Wilson pitched five innings and allowed just two hits, while walking two and striking out four. Jackson Mullen went 2-3 with three RBI including a home run. The win allowed the Copperheads to clinch a playoff spot.
Nation Ford won the season series over Clover getting a 3-2 victory Friday night. The win improves them to 15-6 overall and 6-3 in Region 3-5A. Both Fort Mill and Nation Ford are tied at 6-3 in the region and will play a critical three-game series next week. Taylor Sprinkle threw a complete game one-hitter while walking two and striking out nine in the win. Kenan Bowman, Justin Lehman and Steven Johnson all collected hits for the Falcons in the win.
Soccer
Both the Fort Mill boys’ and girls’ soccer teams fell to Clover Friday night. The Fort Mill girls team lost 4-0 and fell to 9-6 overall and 4-3 in Region 3-5A. The Fort Mill boys team lost 4-1 to drop to 4-3 in the region and 6-7-2 overall.
The Catawba Ridge boys’ soccer team won 3-0 over Andrew Jackson on senior night for the Copperheads. The win puts them at 18-0-2 for the season as they travel to Fort Mill Monday for their next game.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
