After more than two weeks off, the Fort Mill Post 43 Juniors opened the second round of the playoffs with a 3-1 win over Inman Post 45 in their best-of-three series.
Despite not playing for the past 17 days as a team, Post 43 didn’t show any signs of rust. Cooper Diehl, James Knoll and Alex Smith singled as the first three batters for Fort Mill. The good start didn’t last long as Post 43 left the bases loaded without scoring a run in the first inning.
In the second inning, Post 43 got a break after getting two Inman runners on base. One of them got picked off and then Inman grounded into a double play.
Lawson Smith knocked in a Post 43 run in the bottom of the second scoring in Zach Young, who walked to reach base. Michael Caropreso singled and stole second and third. Diehl drove in Caropreso to keep things rolling for Fort Mill as they took a 2-0 lead.
In the top of the third inning, Inman had a runner reach on an error and scored after a double later in the inning. Post 43 would get out of the jam, but not without Inman cutting the Fort Mill lead in half.
Post 43 could only manage one base runner in the third inning and wasn’t able to get back the one run surrendered.
Fort Mill starter Cole Stukitz was replaced with his brother, Ryan, in the fifth inning. Cole Stukitz went four innings allowed one run on two hits, while walking four and striking out two.
Cole Stukitz and Grey Kneidel each walked with two outs in the bottom of the fifth. Zach Young got an infield hit and a passed ball scored Stukitz to make it 3-1 for Post 43.
Ryan Stukitz finished the game out going three innings and allowing just one hit, while striking out two in the low scoring game.
Post 43 had just five hits as Diehl went 2-4 with an RBI. Knoll, Smith, and Caropreso had the other hits for Fort Mill.
Game two of the series will be played at Inman Post 45 on Tuesday, July 16. If Fort Mill can win, they will head to the Junior State Tournament at Newberry College starting Saturday, July 20.
The win improved Post 43 Juniors to 12-1 on the season.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
