For the first time in years, Fort Mill Post 43 senior baseball team dropped their season opener, falling to Lancaster Post 31 7-5.
Fort Mill, who is playing their home games at Catawba Ridge this summer because of construction at Fort Mill High, struggled with pitching allowing seven walks in the game, but also made four errors. Fort Mill allowed just three hits in the game.
Post 43’s Dusty Sanderlin got the start for the season opener and went five and two thirds innings allowing six runs on two hits, while walking five and striking out three. Lancaster had two big innings where they did all their damage scoring four runs in the second inning and three in the sixth inning. Fort Mill as well scored all their runs in the first and third innings.
Post 43 opened the bottom of the first up scoring three runs on three hits to take an early 3-0 lead. Cooper Wilson, Luke Garabedian and Scott Young all got hits in the first inning as Garabedian went 2-3 in the game with two RBI. Post 43 was also led by Rylee Ashworth at the plate as he went 2-4 as well.
Lancaster rallied in the second inning and scored four runs to go up 4-3 off two hits and two Post 43 errors in the inning.
Post 43 took a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the third scoring two runs on three hits. Garabedian doubled and Eli Craddock was able to drive him in to tie the game on a single, before Tyler Levy was able to give Post 43 the lead with a sacrifice.
Fort Mill was able to cruise for the most part through the next two innings, but things got out of hand in the sixth inning as Sanderlin ran out of gas walking two before being pulled with two outs in the inning. Jacob Boyna came in for relief and allowed a single and walked two batters before getting out of the inning, but not before Lancaster regained the lead. Lancaster would hold that lead and get the win despite getting out hit 7-3.
Post 43 seniors return to action at Lancaster Wednesday with a 7 p.m. start time.
Juniors opens season with a win
The Fort Mill Post 43 Junior team opened the season with a 11-7 win over Lancaster Post 31 on the road.
The slugfest between the two teams saw Fort Mill get 11 hits, but they also make five errors in the field. Post 43 opened the game up with three runs in the first inning, followed by six more in the second inning to go up 9-5 after two innings of play.
Brody Owens got the start, but Grey Kniedel picked up the win for Fort Mill in three innings of work. He allowing two runs on three hits while walking two and striking out three. Post 43 walked nine in the game and struck out seven.
At the plate, Braydn Deaton went 2-4 with two RBI and Brayden Hampton went 2-2 with two RBI as well. Owens also went 2-2 with three RBI.
Post 43 Juniors return to action at home Wednesday against Lancaster at 7:30 p.m. at Nation Ford High.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
