Nation Ford rides tidal wave of runs in sweep over Clover

If there is one thing that the Nation Ford baseball team has down, it’s scoring runs.

Nation Ford swept Clover in their three-game series to open Region IV play outscoring the Blue Eagles 41-10. The Falcons won the opener 20-4, game two 11-3 and game three 10-3. In each of the first two games, Nation Ford used two innings to break away from Clover. The third game didn’t have that type of inning, but did see a four-run seventh inning outburst from Nation Ford to put the game out of reach.

In the first game, Nation Ford was aided by a nine-run sixth inning as the Falcons scattered 19 hits in the 20-run effort. The Falcons led 6-2 before a five-run fifth inning and added nine runs in the sixth to make the game a blowout.

The Falcons were led by Bradley Bott, who went 4-5 with three doubles and five RBI. Bott also pitched three innings, allowing two runs on two hits, while walking three and striking out three.

Nation Ford also was aided in a four-RBI performance from Tyler Causey, who went 2-5 and scored three times in the win. Evan Lammers and Andrew Pappalardo each had two hits as well and J.D. Schumacher went 3-5 in game one of the series.

The second game was another offensive onslaught by the Falcons as they entered the second inning with a 3-0 lead and then exploded for seven runs in the bottom of second to go up 10-0. Lammers, who got the win on the mound going five innings and allowing two runs on five hits, while striking out four, went 2-3 at the plate with a home run and three RBI. Nation Ford rattled out 14 hits in the winning effort as Causey, Pappalardo, Bott and Davis Hobbs each got two hits in the win. Hobbs went 2-4 with three RBI in game two.

Game three saw Nation Ford go up early and take a 6-0 lead after four innings. Starter Derek Sivac pitched a complete game allowing three runs on three hits, while striking out eight. He took a no-hitter into the sixth inning before Clover got its first hit of the game.

Offensively, the Falcons were led by Bott again, who went 3-3 with double and two RBI. Causey went 2-4 with a double and drove in two runs as well.

Nation Ford is now 5-3 on the season and will next take on Rock Hill this week in a three game series with the home games in the series being March 19 and 21.

This story was originally published March 19, 2018 at 11:17 AM with the headline "Nation Ford rides tidal wave of runs in sweep over Clover."