The Post 43 Juniors clinched the Piedmont League title with a win over Lancaster Post 31 Monday.
Fort Mill beat Lancaster 5-2 to improve to 9-1 on the season and clinch the league title with two regular season games left. Playoffs start for the Juniors Monday, July 8.
“It’s hard for these kids to play six to eight games a week, playing on the weekends and playing with us,” said Post 43 Juniors head coach Jeff Stack. “They are able to grind some of these games out and win. As long as they continue to play hard and do the little things right we should be pretty successful.”
Post 43 picked up a run in the bottom of the first with a sacrifice fly from Carson Krueger scoring Cooper Diehl who singled. Lancaster tied the game at one in the top of the second as Duke Foster walked and was driven in by Jordan Vinson.
Fort Mill went up 2-1 in the bottom of the second on a sacrifice fly by Michael Caropreso scoring Zach Young.
Post 43 kept things rolling in the third as James Knoll singled starting off the bottom of the inning. Krueger would drive in Knoll extending Fort Mill.
A Post 43 error in the fourth allowed a Lancaster runner to reach base, but he would be left stranded. Lawson Smith led the fourth inning off with a single to left field for Fort Mill. A single by Knoll scored Smith and a Lancaster error allowed Post 43 to go up 5-1.
Fort Mill starter Christian Soder went four innings and allowed one run on two hits, while walking a couple and striking out three.
Jhett Nichols came in for Post 43 in the fifth inning. Lancaster got two runners on base in the inning, but again struggled to get anyone home. Nichols held Lancaster at bay going two and two third innings allowing one run on two hits, while walking two and striking out three. Lancaster did have a couple of walks and a single in the top of the seventh to score a run.
Zach Boutwell came in and got the save getting the final out. Knoll led Fort Mill at the plate going 3-4, while Lawson Smith went 2-3. Krueger had two RBIs.
Post 43 will travel to Buford High School to play Post 31 Yellow Jackets Tuesday evening.
Post 43 Seniors take opener over Camden
The Post 43 Senior team got a 10-2 win at Camden Post 17 Monday to open their three-game series.
Fort Mill got 14 hits as Owen Noonan went 3-5 at the plate with two RBIs. Thomas Ealey, Cooper Zohner, and Nico Bartolotti each had two hits. Bartolotti and Zohner each had two RBIs as well.
Jackson Mullen went six innings allowing two runs in five hits, while walking two and striking out four.
Post 43 Seniors will host Camden at Fort Mill High Tuesday evening.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
