Both Nation Ford and Catawba Ridge High baseball teams got wins on Monday to open their spring break tournaments.
Hosting the Rescue Lock and Key Invitational, Nation Ford beat Porter Ridge 4-2 in Monday’s game to improve to 6-8 overall on the season.
Nation Ford scored two runs in the third inning as Miles Baker led the inning off with a single. Jacob Pettit then knocked Baker in to put the Falcons on the board. Alex Smith would later double in the inning to score Pettit.
Then in the sixth inning the Falcons added two more runs to go up 4-0. Cooper Mitchell opened the bottom half of the inning with a hit after a Smith walk. Hunter Mac then knocked in Smith on a sacrifice fly and Jackson Childs then knocked in pinch runner Jake Barrier to extend the Falcons lead.
Porter Ridge scored two runs in the top of the seventh inning, but Nation Ford was able to hold on for the win. Starter Ryan Dyer went the distance allowing two runs on seven hits, while walking one and striking out six.
Nation Ford takes on Cuthbertson on day two of the three-day tournament at 4 p.m. Tuesday, April 2.
Catawba Ridge
Catawba Ridge is in the Hanahan Invitational Tournament in Hanahan, S.C. The Copperheads beat Marvin Ridge Mavericks 15-8 on day one of that three-day tournament.
Catawba Ridge had two big innings scoring six runs in the second inning and eight runs in the seventh inning as the Copperheads pounded out 16 hits in the game.
Owen Noonan led the Copperheads going 3-6 with three RBIs including a home run. Sam Schwamb also had three hits, including a triple, and drove in a run. Ethan Solnick, Jackson Mullen, and Britton Nash each had two hits as well. Ben Wilson, Nash, and Solnick also had two RBIs.
Mullen was one of four pitchers who toed the rubber as he started the game, going three innings and allowing four runs on five hits, while walking one and striking out five. Zach McMahon went two and a third innings allowing two runs on three hits, while striking out two and walking three. Bryce Meil tossed an inning of no-hit baseball and struck out two.
Catawba Ridge will take on the Cox High School Falcons out of Virginia Beach, Va. on day two of the tournament on Tuesday, April 2. The tournament features 40 high schools from six states.
The Copperheads are now 14-1 overall on the season.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
