Timely hitting and a strong pitching performance propelled the Fort Mill Yellow Jackets to a series opening win over rival Nation Ford Monday night.
Fort Mill downed the Falcons 9-3 as the annual hardball battle between Fort Mill and Nation Ford kicked off with game one at Fort Mill High School.
“It’s always good to get the first one,” said Fort Mill head baseball coach Travis Collier. “I am super proud of my guys.”
It didn’t take long for Nation Ford to get on the board. The second batter in the game, Miles Baker, went opposite field with a solo home run to put the Falcons up early against Fort Mill.
Fort Mill threatened in the bottom of the first getting the bases loaded with just one out eventually getting on the board. The Jackets tied it with a walk to JB Walters scoring Michael Rogers and then Andrew Craddock drove in Carter Blankinship with a sacrifice fly.
After the first inning, the two teams settled into a groove and despite allowing base runners, neither were able to get another run across.
Then with back-to-back errors in the bottom of the third inning, it allowed John Dober to score and put Fort Mill up by two runs. Craddock would walk and Brent Laughter would single in Walters to give them a 4-1 lead.
Nation Ford starter Ryan Dyer was pulled after three innings as Jacob Touchstone came in as relief. Dyer allowed four runs on three hits after walking four and striking out three.
Fort Mill again started hitting the ball and added three runs in the bottom of the fourth. Thomas Ealey singled to start things for the Jackets. A walk to Josh Patterson and then a double by Blankinship scored Ealey and Patterson. Walters would walk and Craddock would drive in Blankinship before another pitching change by Nation Ford.
Fort Mill picked up a run in the fifth inning with the help of a single by Rogers. That put the game at 8-1, but the Falcons didn’t go quietly.
Baker and Bradyn Deaton started the sixth with consecutive singles. Jacob Pettit would walk for Nation Ford to load the bases without an out, but Fort Mill starter Alex Carreiro was able to work out of the bases loaded jam without allowing a run The Jackets wanted to make it harder for Nation Ford to rally as John Dober singled opening the sixth inning.
A fourth error in the game by the Falcons allowed another run to score for Fort Mill.
Fort Mill sent John Risk to the mound to close the game out for the Jackets in the seventh. Carreiro left the game allowing one run in four hits, while walking four and striking out six. He improved to 6-0 on the season.
“He is a bulldog,” Collier said. “He has done a phenomenal job.”
Nation Ford’s Justin Brink led the top of the seventh off with a double for the Falcons. Baker would push Brink to third with a single and Deaton drove in Brink and Pettit would drive in Baker.
However, despite plating two runs, Nation Ford couldn’t scratch another run as they would fall to Fort Mill in game one of their series.
Falcons head coach Jeff Stack said they will try to rebound Wednesday in game two. Nation Ford made four errors in the game which allowed several Fort Mill runs.
“We are a talented team and when we play clean baseball we are as good as anybody,” he said. “They (Fort Mill) played clean baseball.”
The win puts Fort Mill at 15-5 overall and 11-1 in Region 3-5A, while the loss drops Nation Ford to 10-10 and 5-7 in the region.
April 15 Roundup
The Catawba Ridge baseball team took one step closer to clinching the Region 3-4A title with a 6-1 win over Northwestern in game one of their series. The Copperheads can wrap up the title if they win at least one of their next two games against Northwestern. Caden Glauber went six innings allowing three hits and striking out 11 to lead Catawba Ridge who improved to 19-2 overall and 12-1 in the region. Owen Noonan and Peyton Dhein each had two hits to lead the Copperheads at the plate.
The Catawba Ridge tennis team lost 4-3 to Indian Land in a Region 3-4A match-up. The Copperheads got wins from No. 4 singles Koen Tesimale 6-2, 2-6, 10-5 and Jacob Thompson 2-6, 6-3 and 10-5. Trevor Steverson and Haddon Richardson also won in doubles 6-1, 6-1.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
