Fort Mill Post 43’s Patrick Matthews scores the first of two runs for Post 43 in their game against Lexington Post 7.

COLUMBIA – Lexington Post 7 came out swinging on Fort Mill Post 43 and never let up to beat them comfortably at Segra Park.

A five-run first inning by Lexington allowed them to jump out to a comfortable lead before they cruised to a 13-2 win dropping Post 43 to 1-1 on the season. The game was the first of two games Fort Mill Post 43 has scheduled at Segra Park, home of the Columbia Fireflies.

“It was a great opportunity for a lot of our players to play at a beautiful ballpark like Segra Park,” said Post 43 head coach Tom Skula. “Lexington has a really great lineup top to bottom and really hit the ball well. We just didn’t execute on the mound or at the plate for most of the game.”

Lexington got to Fort Mill starter Kyle Raynor for five runs on five hits in the first, while Post 43 struggled with the bat getting only six hits. Fort Mill pitching gave up 14 hits in the game as well as 11 earned runs and three walks. Raynor lasted just two and a third innings.

Fort Mill had bright spots in the third and fourth innings and managed just six hits in the game themselves, with no-one getting more than one.

In the third inning, Patrick Matthews got a hit to get things started and then Kolby Crepeau doubled to score Matthews for Fort Mill’s first run of the game.

While things looked hopeful for Fort Mill, that faded in the bottom of the third inning as Lexington scored seven runs on five hits including a grand slam from Post 7’s David Cromer in the inning. That put the score after the inning at 12-1 with Fort Mill using three pitchers at that point in the game.

Fort Mill Post 43 scored the second and last run of the game in the fourth inning as Xavier Cumbee drove in a run with an infield single beating the throw at first base scoring Keith Feeley, who was pinch running for Justin Lehman, who singled to reach earlier in the inning.

“Lehman really had a huge week for us,” Skula said. “He came through in the clutch and had seven RBI on the week. He is a leader behind the plate and really controls the run game well.”

Lexington added a run in the bottom of the fourth to take a 11-run lead. Fort Mill threatened to score in the bottom of the fifth getting two on base, including a single from Connor Rasmussen, but left both stranded to end the game.

Post 43 has two games next week both at Lancaster’s Harvey Eggleton Field. The first game is the completion of the season opener against Rock Hill. That game was suspended in the top of the seventh at 3-3 with a runner on second for Fort Mill. They will then play Rock Hill Post 34 in a seven-inning game after that game concludes. They will then play Lancaster at 7 p.m. Friday, July 10.

Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep