CAMDEN – Fort Mill Post 43 Seniors got a big win to officially start their series with Camden Post 17.
Post 43 beat defending state champion Camden 1-0 on the road to improve to 2-2 on the season off the pitching of Ben Chuttey.
Fort Mill came into the game having not played a complete game in a week due to weather.
They were trailing Camden 4-3 on Monday, June 9 when the skies opened and suspended the game in the third inning.
On Wednesday, Alex Blanchette singled in the top of the first for Post 43, but that was all the action they could get going.
In the bottom of the first, Chuttey gave up a single, but was able to regroup and got out of the inning with allowing another base runner.
Fort Mill got a runner in scoring position with a walk to Brayden Hampton. Courtesy runner Cole Gutmann, running for Hampton, then stole second. However, that’s where he would remain as again Post 43 couldn’t drive him in.
Clover’s TJ McCluney led off the top of the third inning with a single and then stole second and third for Post 43, but was left there to end the inning.
Chuttey continued to be strong on the mound, but Fort Mill didn’t give him the run support he needed.
Post 43 for one on with a single in the fourth from Michael Rogers, but failed to get him in as they left four stranded through four innings.
In the bottom of the inning, Camden singled and had a batter hit to put two on with one out. Chuttey again was able to battle back without allowing a run to get out of the inning.
Post 43 finally broke through in the fifth. Alex Smith doubled to open the inning and McCluney bunted him over to third on a sacrifice. Blanchette would hit an RBI single for the first run of the game scoring Smith with two outs.
Fort Mill kept things moving in the sixth as Rogers walked to open the inning and then went to second on a passed ball and was moved to third on a sacrifice bunt from Britton Nash. Hampton walked to put runners in the corners before a pitching change for Camden.
After the change on the mound, Post 17 was able to get out of the inning without allowing Fort Mill to score.
While Post 43 wasn’t able to score another run, Fort Mill rode Chuttey’s arm to the win with a complete game three hitter. Chuttey walked one and struck out six.
Blanchette went 2-3 with the only RBI of the game to lead Fort Mill at the plate.
Post 43 will finish the game with Camden they started Monday, June 9 later today on June 12 and then play another game afterwards against Post 17.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
