By Jack Veltri
Correspondent
Zach Jennings walked up to the plate with a chance to be the difference maker for Fort Mill.
The small crowd that braced through the rapidly decreasing temperatures was ready for a winner to be decided.
Brent Laughter had just laid out to make a game-saving, diving grab to keep the score tied going into the ninth inning. Jennings, with the go-ahead runner on second, was up to bat.
Just as he had done in previous games, Jennings came through with the go-ahead hit. He laced an RBI double that rolled to the outfield fence to give Fort Mill the lead.
“Those are game-changing type plays that we talk about as coaches,” said Fort Mill head coach Travis Collier. “Matter of fact, we had that conversation in the locker room today about game-changing plays. (Laughter) in particular, he made a heck of a play, which gave us momentum. And I think it relaxed Zach at the plate and gave him an opportunity.”
After fighting tooth and nail all game long, Fort Mill scored seven runs in the ninth inning to pull away with a 15-8 win over Nation Ford. The win improves the Yellow Jackets’ overall record to 11-8 and 7-3 in Region 3-5A.
Before Jennings’ clutch hit, Fort Mill had been stifled at the plate, unable to notch a hit from the sixth until the start of the ninth. But once it grabbed the lead back, the offense started clicking.
It only took four hits and an error for the Yellow Jackets to pound out those seven runs in the final inning to provide enough of a cushion to hold on. One of the key differences in the game was their ability to take bases and move runners over.
“Zach gets the double. He very well could be excited about just being at second base. He steals third and a couple pitches later there’s a passed ball and now we’re up two,” Collier said. “In a tight game like that, that’s huge. That extra run is huge, especially with the way we were walking guys. That gives us an opportunity to add more, and it helps our hitters relax cause now it takes a little pressure off them cause the run scored.”
After jumping out to an 8-4 lead, Fort Mill watched the Falcons claw their way back to score four unanswered runs before those ninth-inning heroics. As Collier referenced, walks hurt the Yellow Jackets as it gave Nation Ford the window it needed to strike.
And it did strike in a big way. Fort Mill’s Nick Krise loaded the bases with one out in the sixth, forcing Collier to turn to Jaeger Pankowski. In what would be a nearly impossible situation to get out of unscathed, he gave up two unearned runs to allow the Falcons to tie it up at 8.
Once Pankowski settled into the game, he was lights out for the Jackets. He’d go on to pitch the rest of the way, getting into some trouble, but finding a way to work out of it.
“Pankowski came in and did what Pankowski does. He pounds the zone and let the chips fall where they may,” Collier said. “He did a phenomenal job. You’ve got to tip your cap to him.”
Pankowski’s efforts, along with some solid defense behind him, proved to be the turning point in what was an important victory.
“When you see your kids battle their butts off all night, there’s not a better feeling as a coach than to see them succeed in those situations, especially against your rival,” Collier said.
At the plate for Fort Mill, Laughter, Carter Blankinship and Nathan Carmello went 2-6 and Eli Craddock went 3-6.
Luke Keller, Paul Solari, Bradyn Deaton and Miles Baker all got two hits each for Nation Ford.
Fort Mill will head back home for the middle game of the series with Nation Ford Wednesday night. First pitch is at 7 p.m.
