A later than normal start didn’t help Fort Mill Post 43 Juniors in their first game of the second-round playoff series with Richland Post 215.
Richland won 9-0 to take a 1-0 lead in the series against Post 43. The loss dropped Fort Mill to 12-4 on the season. Fort Mill struggled on the mound as they struck out 10, but walked 14 batters and allowed all nine runs.
After a 97-minute lightning delay, the two teams finally got started. Richland took an easy advantage and capitalized on walks from Post 43 starter Matthew Scott. Scott struggled with five walks and a single as Post 215 went up 3-0 with one out before a pitching change for Fort Mill, bringing in Cole MacIntyre. Richland would add another run before Fort Mill got out of the inning.
Post 43 settled down in the top of the second. Despite allowing a base runner, they were able to get out of the inning without giving up a run.
In the bottom of the second, both Scott and Cooper Diehl got singles for Post 43. Declan Errett also singled, but Fort Mill couldn’t push a run across.
Michael Caropreso started the bottom of the third inning off with a single, followed by a double from Eli Wilson. However, the offense stalled and Fort Mill again failed to score.
Eli Cheske led the bottom of the fifth off for Fort Mill with a single and then stole second base. He would try to steal third, but was called out as Post 43 again struggled to get anything going.
Richland picked up three more runs in the sixth inning off a couple of hits and a couple of walks to go up 7-0.
MacIntyre would get replaced on the mound in the inning. He went five innings allowing three runs on three hits, while walking five and striking out seven. MacIntyre was replaced by Errett on the mound.
In the seventh, Post 215 added two more runs to go up 9-0 to close out the game.
Game two is scheduled for July 15 at AC Flora in Columbia.
July 14 Roundup
The Fort Mill Post 43 Seniors shutout Rock Hill Post 34 to improve to 9-9 on the season and 7-4 in League IV play behind the pitching of Cooper Mitchell. Mitchell threw a one hitter over six innings walking two and striking out 10. At the plate, Alex Smith went 1-4, Britton Nash went 1-2 and Michael Rogers went 2-2. All three of them had two RBIs each.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
