ANDERSON – The Fort Mill Post 43 Seniors held off a late rally from Anderson Post 14 to sweep their second round series and stamp their ticket to the American Legion state tournament.
Fort Mill held off a four run seventh inning to beat Anderson 12-8.
After about a 25-minute weather delay to start the game, Post 43 got off to a good start scoring two runs in the top of the first off passed balls. Nico Bartolotti singled and Cooper Zohner doubled in the inning getting Fort Mill in scoring position, before the passed balls occurred.
In the second inning, Post 43 picked up another run as Brennan Helms reached on a fielder’s choice and was driven in by Owen Noonan putting Fort Mill up 3-0.
Anderson Post 14 got on the board in the bottom of the third after two base hits, scoring one run.
Fort Mill got a runner on base in the fourth inning, but in trying to steal throughout the game several Post 43 runners were thrown out for sliding past the bag because they were playing on wet turf and not dirt.
The top of the fifth saw Noonan lead off the inning with a solo home run to centerfield. Bartolotti walked and then was driven in by a single from Hunter Busque extending the Post 43 lead.
Post 14 picked up a run in the bottom of the fifth after a walk, stolen base and then a throwing error led to the run.
Fort Mill didn’t take their foot off the gas in the sixth inning. A fielder’s choice and back-to-back walks loaded the bases for Post 43 with two outs. Zohner got hit by a pitch scoring Logan Sulli. Zach Jennings then hit a grand slam to put Post 43 up 10-2. Busque then singled and Barschow walked before an RBI single from Simon Fernandez. Sulli then drove in Barschow to make it 12-2.
Rain started coming down steadier in the sixth inning making things harder for both teams on a slippery turf field.
Post 43 starter Jackson Mullen came out of the game in the sixth inning after Anderson loaded the bases on two walks and a hit batter. Lane Ross replaced Mullen, who went five innings and allowed four runs on two hits, while walking five and striking out six. Post 14 was able to pick up two runs to keep the game going preventing the 10-run mercy rule.
After Post 14 got two runners on in the bottom of the seventh with no outs, Liam Quinn came in for Fort Mill. A hit batter and then an Anderson hit scored two runs to cut the score in half.
Another pitching change led to Sam Czyz coming in to get the final three outs for Post 43.
Jennings went 1-4 with four RBIs. Noonan went 2-4 with two RBIs. Zohner, Busque, and Fernandez each had two hits as well.
Fort Mill improved to 18-5 and will open the state tournament Friday against an opponent to be determined
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
