LANCASTER – Opening day for the 2020 baseball season for Fort Mill Post 43 will take longer than expected.
A day after having their opening day rained out June 29, Fort Mill and Rock Hill Post 34 had their game suspended, tied at 3-3 in the top of the seventh because of rain at Harvey Eggleton Field in Lancaster. It was Post 43’s first game of the season, while it was Rock Hill’s third. Post 43 was the visiting team and had a runner in Patrick Matthews on second after a leadoff double to open the top half of the inning, when the home plate umpire stopped the game.
After waiting for about 35 minutes, an already waterlogged Eggleton Field couldn’t take anymore rain and the game was postponed until 6 p.m. July 6, where it will pick back up where it left off and will be followed by another game between the rivals right after.
Both Fort Mill and Rock Hill are sharing Eggleton Field with host Lancaster Post 31 as part of the American League Summer Baseball, taking the place of American Legion baseball, which was canceled because of the coronavirus.
Fort Mill got off a good start going up 3-0 through five and half innings, but was tattooed in the sixth inning for three runs on three hits by Rock Hill. University of South Carolina commit Magdiel Cotto got the start for Fort Mill and went four innings allowing two hits and one walk, while striking out six. At one point, Cotto struck out five Rock Hill hitters in a row. Unfortunately, Cotto will get the no decision in the contest whenever it ends.
Post 43 scattered seven hits over six innings of complete play as catcher Justin Lehman hit two doubles in going 2-3 with an RBI so far in the game and scored the first run of the game for Fort Mill on a wild pitch in the second inning.
Fort Mill added another run in the top of the fourth as Indian Land’s Chase Dougherty singled to start the inning off and then scored on a double by Lehman. In the sixth inning, AJ Jaworowski would single with one out and then would score on a sacrifice fly from Brady Stone to give Post 43 a 3-0 lead.
Then things would fall apart for Fort Mill in the bottom of the sixth with Rock Hill scoring three runs on three hits to tie the game.
Fort Mill is scheduled to play Lancaster Post 31 July 1, but more rain is expected in the Lancaster area. Post 43 is then supposed to go to Columbia Thursday, July 2 to play Lexington Post 7 at Segra Park, home of the Columbia Fireflies at 5:30 p.m.
Fans making the trip to Columbia for the game are asked to wear a mask due to the Columbia City Council requiring one and are asked to bring a credit card as no cash is being accepted for admission due to the coronavirus.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
