Legion team bounces back against Clover

After a strong pitching performance from starter Drake Durham and reliever Clay King, the Fort Mill American Legion Post 43 team bounced back against Clover Post 38 to win 8-2.

Earlier in the week, Post 43 lost both ends of a doubleheader by identical 2-1 scores to York Post 66. Against Clover, Durham threw five innings allowing two hits, while striking out four and walking four. King pitched the final four innings, allowing two hits, while striking out three and not allowing a walk.

Post 43 also was led at the plate by Durham, who went 2-4 with two RBIs, as Fort Mill made eight hits in the game. Post 43 went up 1-0 after three innings, but then in the fourth added three runs on three hits to break the game open.

Josh Jones led the inning for Fort Mill with a single and was driven in by Carter McCrain, who went 1-4 in the game. Leadoff hitter Josh Evans singled in the inning, and Matt Evdemon drove in McCrain on a sacrifice fly. With the bases loaded, Durham drew a walk scoring the third run of the inning for Post 43.

Fort Mill added two more runs in the sixth inning on two hits. Clay Helvey drove in Evans, who reached on an error, and Durham drove in Helvey after a single.

Against York, Post 43 made three hits in the first game and struggled to give Helvey run support. The only run scored came off a sacrifice fly from Durham, who scored Evdemon, who doubled earlier in the fourth inning.

In the second game, a lapse in judgment in the eighth inning allowed York to score the winning run. After a bunt single, no one paid attention to the runner on third base for Post 66, who stole home to end the game.

Fort Mill played better, getting six hits, but again the run support for Post 43 was not there. Durham led at the plate, going 2-4 with a double and the only RBI in game two.

Post 43 heads back to Clover this week and has a doubleheader Tuesday against Post 34 from Rock Hill at Fort Mill High.

This story was originally published June 20, 2016 at 10:15 AM with the headline "Legion team bounces back against Clover."