SUMTER – Connor Griffin came up big for Fort Mill Post 43 Juniors when he was needed the most.
Griffin hit a walk-off single to score Carter Cox, who tripled to lead off the bottom of the seventh, giving Fort Mill Post 43 a 4-3 win over host Sumter Post 15 in day one of the American Legion Junior State Tournament at Riley Park in Sumter. Fort Mill now takes on North Augusta in day two of the tournament at 7 p.m. Sunday.
Post 43, now 17-0 on the season, came into the tournament a number one seed and faced number four seed Sumter, but had their hands full, after uncharacteristically making four errors in the game.
“We didn’t play one of our best, but we find ways to win games,” said Post 43 Juniors head coach Michael Lewis. “We are going to have to play better if we are going to win this tournament.”
With the game tied at 3-3, Drew Brink came in the seventh inning and shut down Sumter by walking two batters and striking out one. Despite not giving up a hit, he was able to get out of a jam with two men on base.
In the bottom of the seventh with Fort Mill being the home team because it was the higher seed, Cox laced a triple right out of the gate to set up Post 43 for Griffin who hit a fast ball on the very first pitch he saw to score the winning run.
The game for the most part was a back-and-forth battle as Post 43 went up in the first inning as Lane Ross drove in Cox, who walked to lead the game off. Sumter scored in the top of the second inning, but Post 43 added a second run in the bottom of the second off a double by Logan Sulli scoring Deuce Homchik.
Sumter took the lead in the third to make it 3-2 off two Fort Mill errors, as Post 43 made their four errors through the first three innings.
Fort Mill would tie the game in the fifth as Aiden Cattarin drove in Paul Solari, who singled earlier in the inning. Solari and Avery Childs each went 2-3 at the plate to lead Post 43.
On the mound, Trevor Hanson for Fort Mill went six innings and had only one bad inning, much of which had to do with the Post 43 errors. He allowed three runs on four hits, while walking three and striking out two.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
