After winning the Piedmont League, the Fort Mill Post 43 Junior team opened the playoffs in impressive fashion to start the week.
Fort Mill beat Greer Post 115 on July 7 to take game one 10-0 in the best of three series and improved to 11-2 on the season.
Neither team started off hot as Greer got just one hit in the top of the first, while Post 43 didn’t get a base runner on.
Fort Mill loaded the bases in the second inning off a single from Eli Wilson and then walks to Connor Fowler and Grey Kneidel, but couldn’t push a run across.
In the third inning, Michael Caropreso singled and then scored on a Declan Errett single. Brayden Grogan, who reached on an error, would also score on a pickoff play to put Post 43 up 2-0.
In the fourth, three straight singles by Fort Mill loaded the bases. Matthew Scott, Fowler, and Kneidel all singled to get on base. Kneidel scored Fowler in his hit and a double by Jackson Carroll scored Kneidel to put Post 43 up 4-0.
Fort Mill added two more runs in the fifth with a ground out by Eli Cheske to score Wilson who singled to start the bottom half of the inning. Kneidel drove in Fowler on a single also in the inning.
In the top of the sixth, Devon Pascarella replaced starter Carter Czapla on the mound. Czapla allowed two hits and walked one, while striking out seven in getting the win.
In the bottom half, Post 43 scored four runs to enforce the mercy rule. Caropreso doubled and scored on a passed ball with one out. James Carlin singled and scored on a fielder’s choice. Wilson scored on an error, one of four by Greer. Noah Burt then drove in Cheske, who reached on a fielder’s choice, to end the game.
At the plate, Caropreso went 2-4 and scored twice and Wilson went 2-3 and scored twice as well. Kneidel went 2-2 with two RBIs.
Game two is at Greer on Tuesday, July 8.
July 7 Roundup
The Fort Mill Post 43 Seniors fell to Camden Post 17 by a score of 4-1 to drop to 6-9 on the season and 4-4 in league play.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
