INMAN – The Fort Mill Post 43 senior team fell to Inman Post 45 in the finals of the Foothills Regionals losing 8-5 Thursday.
Fort Mill had a daunting task ahead of them knowing they had to sweep a doubleheader at Inman Mills Park to get to the state tournament.
It was apparent early that on the mound Fort Mil didn’t have what they needed after walking several batters to begin the bottom half of the first leading to a couple runs scoring to put Post 45 ahead.
Along with the walks, Fort Mill gave up three hits and Inman went up 3-0 with two outs in the first leading to an early pitching change.
Post 43 didn’t roll over scoring three runs in the top of the second to tie the game. Those three runs came off the bats of Eli Craddock who drove two in with a double and Nico Bartolotti who drove in a run to tie the game.
Inman regained the lead in the bottom of the inning scoring two runs to go up 5-3.
In the top of the fourth, Post 43 cut into the Inman lead with an RBI double by Craddock. Bartolotti then singled in Craddock to again tie the game.
Seemingly every time Post 43 tied the game, Inman would score in the bottom half of the inning. Fort Mill went to their third pitcher of the game in the fourth trying to stop a three-run rally by Post 45 as they went up 8-5.
Fort Mill tried to rally but hit the ball right at people. The Post 43 pitching walked 11 Inman hitters.
Fort Mill managed only five hits in the game, led by both Craddock and Bartolotti. Both got two hits and drove in two runs.
Post 43 finished the season at 12-8.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
