The Fort Mill Post 43 Juniors opened the 2022 American Legion playoffs with a 13-2 win over York Post 66 in game one of their best of three first round series.
Post 43 was able to get timely key hits early and scored 12 of their runs in the first three innings. Fort Mill got nine hits in the game and Carter Cox pitched a complete game. Fort Mill improved to 9-4 overall with the win.
At the plate, Reid Kazmierczak went 3-4 for Post 43 and Brayden Hampton drove in three runs. Both Brody Owens and Justin Brink each had two RBIs as well for Fort Mill.
“We put the ball in play a lot,” said Fort Mill Post 43 Juniors head coach Michael Lewis. “We ran the bases well. We talked a lot about being more aggressive on the base paths. Reid did a really good job. We have to play better if we want to keep advancing.”
In the bottom of the first inning, Kazmierczak started the game off with a single and Hampton would then hit a two run double to get the scoring started for Post 43. York would make a couple errors allowing more Fort Mill runs as well to open the game.
Post 43 kept the pedal down as Bradyn Deaton would double to get the second inning started and Hampton would drive in another run with a sacrifice fly. Brink would also have a two RBI single in the inning as well to give Fort Mill an 8-1 lead.
The third inning was just as productive for Post 43. Aiden Cattarin would hit an RBI double and Owens would have a two-run single, before Killion Bennett would drive in a run as well.
In the fourth inning, JB Walters would open things up with a leadoff double before Kazmierczak would drive him in on an RBI single to put Post 43 up 13-1 at that point.
York threatened in the fifth inning getting a run with a bases loaded walk, but Cox was able to get out of another bases loaded jab only giving up the one run. Cox allowed two runs on four hits, only one of those earned, while striking out eight and walking five.
Post 43 Juniors will travel to York Tuesday for game two of the series and with a win, will advance to the second round of the playoffs. A loss would mean game three Wednesday back at home at Nation Ford.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
