SUMTER – One big inning by Florence Post 1 ended the season for Fort Mill Post 43 Seniors.
Florence won the American Legion Senior State Championship beating Fort Mill 6-3 at Riley Park.
Cooper Armstrong opened the game with a single for Post 43. That would be all Fort Mill could do offensively in the top of the first.
Florence opened the bottom of the first with a single. An error put two runners on for Post 1. A fielder’s choice scored a run for Florence to put them up 1-0.
Ethan Solnick reached on an error to open the second inning. However, a double play benefited Florence in helping get them out of the inning.
Fort Mill starter Anthony Marano faced the minimum in the second inning for Post 43. He did the same in the fourth for Post 43. Armstrong again singled to lead the fourth inning off. He was bunted over to second, but again Post 43 struggled to find an offensive spark.
A one out walk in the fourth was all Florence did offensively in the inning as they clung to a 1-0 lead.
A two out single by Lawson Smith started things for Post 43 in the fifth. His hit was followed by a single from JT Leonhardt, but the offense stalled again.
The inning really fell apart for Fort Mill in the bottom of the fifth. Florence started off with a single and then an error would score a run. Two more hits pushed the score to 5-0, before a wild pitch made it 6-0.
Armstrong got another single to start the sixth inning for Post 43. Jack Shelnutt walked to put two on with no outs. Alex Blanchette doubled in Armstrong scoring a run for Fort Mill. A Post 1 error scored another run for Fort Mill. James Knoll drove in Blanchette on a sacrifice to make it 6-3 as their offense finally got moving.
Marano was replaced in the bottom of the sixth with Zach Young. Marano went five complete allowing six runs on four hits, while walking one and striking out two. Young pitched a perfect sixth facing the minimum.
Fort Mill was unable to rally in the top of the seventh falling to Post 1.
Armstrong led at the plate going 3-4. Blanchette went 1-3 with an RBI. Both Knoll and Cooper Diehl had an RBI as well.
Post 43’s Caden Stevens won the Sportsmanship Award for Fort Mill. Post 43 finished 17-6 on the season
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
