The Fort Mill Post 43 Juniors held off a rally from Inman Post 45 to win game three in their second round series and punch their ticket to the state tournament.
Post 43 won 8-7 over Inman in game three to improve to 13-2 overall, after dropping game two earlier.
Post 43 Juniors resumed game two in the fifth inning down 6-3 on Wednesday before playing game three after game two was suspended due to rain Tuesday down at Inman Mills. After giving up a run in the fifth inning, Fort Mill fell 7-3 in about 30 minutes to even the series 1-1.
Game 3 started 30 minutes afterwards with the winner going to the state tournament starting Saturday at Newberry College. Inman struck first in the top of the first with a walk and two singles to go up 1-0.
Post 43 threatened in the bottom half of the inning getting the bases loaded, but couldn’t find a way to score.
Inman jumped on starter Alex Downes for three more runs in the top of the second inning to push the score to 4-0 before Christian Soder would come in with no outs in the inning. Soder was able to get Fort Mill out of the inning without any more damage being done.
In the bottom of the second, a walk to Soder and a single by Lawson Smith was beneficial as an error scored Post 43 first run of the game. A second consecutive error by Inman scored another run for Fort Mill and a passed ball allowed Cooper Diehl to score. Post 43 tied it up at four on a sacrifice bunt by Grey Kneidel to score James Knoll.
In the bottom of the third inning, Ryan Stukitz would walk and steal second base. Lawson Smith drove in Stukitz to give Post 43 the lead for the first time in the game.
Connor Fowler and Kneidel both got one out walks in the fourth inning before a pitching change for Inman. An error by Inman allowed Fowler to score from second. A second consecutive error allowed Kneidel to score and Ryan Stukitz would load the bases after being hit by a pitch. For the second time in the game, Post 43 left the bases loaded, but left the inning up 7-4.
In the sixth inning, a walk to Michael Caropreso and a single by Carter Czapla got things rolling for Fort Mill. Soder singled in Caropreso to give Post 43 an eighth run.
Knoll, Fowler and Smith each had two hits in the game to lead the nine hit Post 43 attack.
Inman didn’t go quietly getting the bases loaded in the seventh inning with one out. Soder would come out having gone five and a third and allowing two hits, while walking two and striking out eight.
Ryan Stukitz would come in needing two outs. Inman would single to score two runs cutting into the Fort Mill lead.
Post 45 scored on a double steal to make the score 8-7. Stukitz would bear down and get the third out to give them the win.
Seniors fall to Richland
The Post 43 Senior team fell on the road 7-6 to Richland Post 215 to finish the regular season at 16-5 overall. Fort Mill pitching walked seven Richland hitters and again had failures in the bullpen that cost them.
Anthony Marano, Owen Noonan, and Zach Jennings each had two hits as Fort Mill outhit Post 215 12-6.
Post 43 Seniors open the playoffs Monday, July 22 against either Anderson Post 14 or Buffalo Post 87.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
