ROCK HILL- The Fort Mill Post 43 Juniors came out on top in a slugfest over Rock Hill Post 34.
Post 43 won 19-10 improving to 2-0 on the season. The two teams combined for 24 hits with each team getting a dozen.
Fort Mill’s Max Dunlap triples to open the game for Post 43. Brandon Dobson singled him in to put Fort Mill up early with no outs. Matthew Scott singled putting runners in the corners, as Jackson Carroll would drive in Dobson giving Post 43 an early 2-0.
Rock Hill came back with a leadoff triple and then scored a run on Scott, the Post 43 starter.
Steven Coppola walked in the second and stole second with one out. He would eventually score on a passed ball. Walks to Dobson and Blake Chatman would lead to runners on the corners before a Rock Hill balk. A two out bases loaded walk to Carroll scored Chatman before a pitching change for Rock Hill. The change aided Post 34 as they quickly got out of the inning despite trailing 5-1.
Rock Hill came back to score two runs and keep things competitive off a couple of hits and a walk.
Despite a hit by Carter Czapla in the top of the third inning, Post 43 was not able to plate him for their first scoreless inning of the game.
Post 34 continued to chip away in the bottom of the inning taking the lead off of Scott. Rock Hill scored four runs on four walks and three hits before Scott was pulled for Dunlap. Scott would allow eight runs on six hits, while walking five and striking out two. Rock Hill would score one more run going up 8-5.
In the fourth inning, Grogan would be hit by a pitch and then a walk to Micah Ashworth to put two on. Carroll singled to load the bases before Roman Ricci drove in a run on a fielder’s choice. Czapla then tied the game in with a two-run single tying the game at eight.
Rock Hill regained the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning off three singles and a walk.
Fort Mill tied the game in the top of the fifth with a sacrifice by Ricci scoring Grogan who was hit by a pitch for a second time. Czapla would drive in two on a single and Coppola doubled to put Post 43 up 12-9.
The scoring continued for Fort Mill picking up a run as Grogan drove in Dobson who walked earlier in the inning.
Rock Hill tacked on a run in the bottom of the sixth making it 14-10.
Post 43 scored some insurance runs in the top of the seventh. Carroll was hit by a pitch and Ricci walked. Czapla drove in his fifth run of the game on a sacrifice, before a triple by Dunlap scoring two more runs. Dunlap scored and then Chatman, who singled scored on a wild pitch giving Fort Mill 19 runs.
James Gandolfi came in to pitch the seventh inning for Post 43. He would allow one hit and strikeout one on 16 pitches.
Czapla went 3-5 with five RBI, while Dunlap and Carroll each had two hits. Post 43 Juniors play again Monday, June 8 at Nation Ford High School for their home opener against this same Rock Hill team.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
