CAYCE – The Fort Mill Post 43 senior team opened the 2024 season with a 7-0 win at West Columbia Post 79 Tuesday evening.
Fort Mill Post 43 started strong scoring two in the top of the first inning. Both Nico Bartolotti and Simon Fernandez reached bases off an error and getting hit by a pitch. Jonathan Barschow drove both in on a two out single.
River Joye got the start for Post 43 and faced the minimum in the bottom half of the first inning.
John Dober kept things moving as he hit a two-run home run in the second inning scoring James Knoll giving Post 43 a 4-0 lead.
After a time through the lineup, things started slowing down offensively for Post 43. Defensively, Joye remained strong allowing just one hit through three innings.
In the fourth inning, Hunter Busque singled to get things rolling for Post 43. Dober would also single and Thomas Ealey would reach base on an error. Bartolotti would walk scoring Knoll, courtesy running for Busque, and Fernandez would drive in Dober on a single pushing the score to 6-0. However, Post 43 couldn’t push anymore across leaving the bases loaded to end the inning.
Fort Mill added a run in the top of the seventh as Dober drove in Anthony Marano, who walked earlier in the inning.
Joye would keep West Columbia hitters guessing as he would go five innings and allow three hits while striking out four without allowing a walk.
Aiden Cattarin would come in the sixth inning for Post 43. He would work the final two innings and allow one hit and one walk, while striking out three.
Dober led Post 43 at the plate going 3-4 with three RBIs, while Fernandez went 2-3 with an RBI and Barschow went 1-3 with two RBIs.
Fort Mill hits the road again on Wednesday with a game at Chesnee Post 48.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
