Four batters, four walks equaled one run.
Fort Mill Post 43 edged Rock Hill Post 34 by a score of 6-5 with a walk-off walk by Andrew Craddock scoring TJ McCluney for the win in the bottom of the seventh. The win put Fort Mill at 5-4 on the season and 4-2 in league play.
The game was a back-and-forth match-up as it was presumed it would be. Post 43 starter Alex Blanchette was able to roll through the first half of the top of the first with the help of a double play.
Fort Mill started the bottom of the first off hot as Alex Smith and Anthony Marano both singled and Jacob Pettit hit a three-run home run with no outs.
Rock Hill picked up a run in the second inning off an infield base hit.
Blanchette got back on track in the third inning for Post 43 allowing one base runner. In the bottom of the inning, Brayden Hampton doubled with one out, but Fort Mill couldn’t make anything happen to score another run.
As smooth as Blanchette was, Fort Mill struggled to give him a lot of run support until the fourth inning. In the fourth inning, Josh Patterson and Marano both singled. Pettit reached on an error scoring both Patterson and Marano to make it 5-1.
Rock Hill got a run back as they opened the fifth inning with back-to-back singles. A groundout scored a run for Post 34. A second run came in on a wild pitch as Rock Hill closed the gap.
In the sixth inning, Rock Hill led off with a home run. A walk two batters later was the end of the night for Blanchette as Tucker Gandy took his place on the mound. Hampton then caught a Post 34 player stealing and Gandy was able to get out of the inning without any damage being done. Blanchette went five and a third innings allowing four runs on eight hits, while walking one and striking out five.
Fort Mill threatened in the sixth inning getting two runners on base, but again failed to get a much-needed hit to score a run. The run was much needed as Rock Hill tied the game in the top of the seventh.
At the plate, Smith and Marano each went 2-4. Hampton and Britton Nash went 2-3. Pettit went 1-4 with three RBIs. Nash got the win on the mound as he was the pitcher of record in pitching the seventh inning allowing one run on one hit, while walking one and striking out one.
Fort Mill travels to Rock Hill on Wednesday, June 25 for the second game in the series.
June 23 Roundup
The Fort Mill Post 43 Juniors beat Rock Hill 15-3 in game one of their three game series this week. Cooper Diehl led at the plate going 3-4 with five RBIs in the win as the Juniors improved to 4-2 in league play. Declan Errett, Eli Wilson, and Michael Caropreso each had two hits as Fort Mill had 12 hits in the game. Cole MacIntyre got the win on the mound going three innings allowing three runs on six hits, while walking two and striking out five.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
