In one of their biggest wins of the past two seasons, Fort Mill Post 43 beat defending state champion Rock Hill Post 34 to give them their first loss on the season.
Fort Mill won 11-1 over Rock Hill Wednesday at home at Fort Mill High to improve to 3-3 on the season after falling 2-0 on Tuesday night at Rock Hill High.
Post 43 pitcher River Joye pitched a complete game going all five innings and allowed just the one run on four hits, while striking out three without allowing a walk. He was able to accomplish all that in just 56 pitches.
Both teams scored a run in the first inning with Fort Mill opening the game up in the third inning with a three-run inning. Nico Bartolotti led the inning off with a single, followed by a single from Gabe Simmons and a double by Scott Young driving in both runners. Zach Jennings then drove in Young to give Post 43 a 4-1 lead.
Fort Mill added two runs in the fourth inning off three hits including a double by Eli Craddock. Bartolotti then singled to drive in Craddock and Andrew Gaff, who singled earlier in the inning.
The scoring didn’t stop there for Post 43 as they added five runs in the fifth inning to finish the game off. Jennings started the inning off with a triple, while Rock Hill walked Jonathan Barschow and Jaeger Pankowski reached on an error as Jennings scored. Craddock singled scoring Barschow and another Post 34 error scored Drew Brink, who was running for Gaff, who walked to reach base. Young would then walk with the bases loaded to enforce the 10-run mercy rule giving Fort Mill the 11-1 win.
Young went 2-3 at the plate with four RBIs, while Bartolotti would go 2-3 with two RBIs and Craddock went 3-4 with two RBIs. Jennings went 2-2 with an RBI as well for Post 43.
Post 43 will host Rock Hill again Thursday at Fort Mill High hoping to take two in a row and win the series this week.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
