Another late inning run was the difference between the Fort Mill and Nation Ford’s baseball teams in game three of their series.
This time it was the Falcons that came up with the late heroics winning 4-3 to avoid a season sweep and finish Region 3-5A at 10-8. Nation Ford is now 16-10 overall. The Jackets finished the regular season at 9-9 in the region and 13-13. Both teams will start the playoffs next week.
“We were on a skid where nothing was going our way and we had to grind for everything,” said Nation Ford head baseball coach Josh Corley. “Nothing was given easy to us over the past few days. Every run we earned tonight. We needed a win like this tonight.”
Fort Mill struck first in the bottom of the first inning. JT Leonhardt and Caleb Trader singled before Braden Richardson drove Leonhardt in on a sacrifice fly.
The lead did not last long as the Falcons rallied with three runs in the top of a second. Michael Caropreso single and Grey Kniedel walked before Jacob Neff loaded the bases with a single. An error then scored Caropreso and courtesy runner John McGovern to put Nation Ford up 2-1. A fielder’s choice by Michael Blum scored Neff as the Falcons went up 3-1.
Then in the third inning, Fort Mill tied it up scoring two runs. Jackson Bendis singled and Leonhardt reached first on a bunt single as a Falcons’ error scored Cooper Diehl, who reached base earlier in the inning on a dropped third strike. Trader tied the game up at three with a sacrifice fly before Nation Ford was able to get out of the inning.
In between the scoring outburst from both team, starting pitchers Caden Stevens and Kniedel were able to keep their opponents off the base paths for the most part.
Stevens came out in the top of the seventh inning for Devon Pascarella. Both Connor Fowler and Micah Prowsior walked before an RBI single by Noah Layton scored Fowler to put the Falcons ahead for good.
Nation Ford managed just four hits as Layton went 1-3 with an RBI to lead them at the plate. Kniedel pitched a complete game three hitter allowing three runs, while striking out seven without walking any.
Leonhardt went 3-3 for Fort Mill with an RBI to lead them at the plate.
April 30 Roundup
The Fort Mill boys’ tennis team opened the second round of the 5A Division II playoffs over a Yellow Jackets squad from TL Hanna High School. The TL Hanna team came away with a 6-0 win over Fort Mill. Fort Mill finished the season at 12-3 overall.
The Nation Ford boys’ tennis team lost 6-0 on the road to Greenville in the second round of the 5A Division II playoffs to finish the season at 11-4 overall.
The Fort Mill boys’ soccer team beat Nation Ford 3-2. Nation Ford fell to 4-8 to finish Region 3-5A play and 7-13 overall, while Fort Mill improved to 10-6 overall and finished region play at 7-5.
The Nation Ford softball team beat Fort Mill 4-1 as Tori Baldino went 3-3 for the Falcons. Nation Ford finished the regular season at 16-8 overall and 7-5 in Region 3-5A. Fort Mill was led by Haley Rogers, who went 3-4 with an RBI. Fort Mill finished the regular season at 13-12 overall and 6-6 in the region.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
