The Nation Ford Falcons baseball team wrapped up the Rescue Lock and Key Invitational at Nation Ford High falling to the Weddington Warriors 13-12 Wednesday night.
Nation Ford had five errors in the game to go with eight hits as they dropped to 7-9 overall on the season.
The game started out as an offensive explosion with both teams scoring three runs each in their half of the first inning.
For Nation Ford, the Falcons were aided by walks and batters being hit as that is how they scored all three runs in the bottom of the first to tie the game.
Nation Ford took the lead in the second inning 4-3 with a triple by Bradyn Deaton scoring Simon Fernandez who reached on a fielder’s choice. The lead was short lived as Weddington scored four runs in the top to take a 7-4 lead.
Weddington and Nation Ford each scored two runs in the fourth inning. Jacob Pettit singled to start the inning off, and Deaton would double to score Pettit. Cooper Mitchell would drive in Deaton to score the second run of the inning.
Leading 9-6 in the fifth inning, Weddington tacked on four more runs to go up 13-6.
However, the Warriors struggled with pitching In the bottom of the fifth inning allowing for six runs by the Falcons. Weddington gave up four walks and made an error in the inning. Alex Smith and Miles Baker also drove in runs in the inning scoring Pettit and Deaton. A wild pitch in the inning added a sixth run by Nation Ford as they pulled within on run at 13-12 in the inning, but could not scratch another run as that is how the game would end.
Nation Ford used four pitches in the game as Baker got the start going two and two third innings and allowing seven runs on five hits, while walking three and striking out two. Grey Kneidel pitched an inning and allowed two runs on tow hits and Killion Bennett pitched two thirds of an inning allowing three runs on one hit. Aiden Pitkowicz also pitched part of an inning allowing a run on a hit.
At the plate, Deaton led going 2-3 with three RBIs. Mitchell and Smith each had two RBIs as well.
Nation Ford will return to Region 3-5A play next week with a three-game series against Spring Valley.
Fort Mill
The Jackets dropped just there third game of the season with a 5-2 loss to Georgia Premier Academy in the Southeastern Baseball Classic in Hartsville Wednesday.
Georgia Premier had just one big inning scoring four runs in the fourth inning, as Fort Mill outscored them 2-1 in the remainder of the game.
Georgia Premier scored first in the top of the second and was up 5-0 before Fort Mill would score their only two runs in the bottom of the fifth. Fort Mill had seven hits in the game and was led by Josh Patterson, who went 3-4 with an RBI.
Both John Risk and John Coppola started the inning off with walks in the fifth inning, before Patterson would single to score Coppola, as Risk would score earlier in the inning on an error.
Carter Blankinship would go 2-4 in the game for Fort Mill and both Brent Laughter and John Dober also go hits in the game as well for the Jackets.
Kody Romero got the start for Fort Mill and went three and two third innings allowing all five runs on seven hits, while striking out six without giving up a walk. Rayce Buskirk went two and a third inning walking one and striking out three in relief. Nick Fox pitched one inning of relief as well allowing a hit for Fort Mill as well.
The loss drops Fort Mill to 10-3 overall and will play a historically strong DeMatha Catholic High School Stags out of Maryland on Thursday.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
