Post 43 splits doubleheader with No. 2 Rock Hill

With a split of a doubleheader with the state’s number two ranked Rock Hill Post 34, Fort Mill Post 43 remains at .500 on the year.

Now at 5-5, Fort Mill dropped the first game of the doubleheader 11-2, but bounced back to beat Rock Hill 7-6 in game two.

“Every time we play Rock Hill it is always a battle of two great teams with tremendous talent,” said Post 43 head coach Tom Skula.

“Drake Durham and Clay Helvey gave us a dominant outing only giving up one run apiece. Unfortunately, we were unable to capitalize on the great starting pitching in the first game.”

In the first game, Post 43 got just two hits and struggled in the field making five errors. Helvey and Durham got the only two hits for Fort Mill in that game. Durham got the start on the mound and held Rock Hill to just two hits and a one run through five innings of work, while getting the no decision.

Fort Mill held a 2-1 lead going into the sixth inning, when Rock Hill busted the first game open after scoring three runs on three hits. Post 34 continued to pour gas on an already burning fire, scoring seven runs in the seventh inning to put the game out of reach.

In the second game, Post 43 bounced back with big innings of its own, scoring two runs in the second and adding four in the third. In the second inning, Austin Marco drove in Durham, who had walked, and Timmy Lehman, who singled, to put Fort Mill up 2-0.

The third inning was even better for Post 43 as Josh Evans led off with a triple and was driven in two batters later on a triple from Helvey. Durham drove in Helvey and Lehman hit Fort Mill’s third triple of the inning to bring home Durham and Greg Izzo, who reached on a walk.

Helvey got the win on the mound after going five innings and allowing two runs on four hits. He walked four and struck out seven.

Fort Mill did get into trouble with its middle relief in the sixth inning when Rock Hill scored four runs on three hits, but Jack Corkery was able to come in and pitch 1 1/3 innings for the save, allowing just one base runner.

Fort Mill wins slug fest

Earlier in the week, Post 43 battled with Clover Post 38 in a slug fest winning 22-15. Corkery picked up the win going five and a third innings, allowing four runs on five hits, while walking three and striking out two.

At the plate, Fort Mill was the recipient of 15 walks by Clover to go with their 17 hits. Durham went 3-4 with a double and four RBIs. Carter McCrain went 3-6 with a double and three RBIs. Matt Evdemon went 3-4 with two RBIs and Helvey was 2-4 with an RBI. Josh Jones also got multiple hits, going 3-6 with a double and a RBI.

“Durham, Helvey, and Evdemon have been producing at the plate for us all season,” Skula said.

“McCrain has really stepped up for us lately after not getting a lot of at-bats earlier in the season. Having won three out of our last four games has given our team great confidence going into the final week of the regular season. We will really need to be mentally strong and be more fundamentally sound this week to get the best possible seed for the upcoming playoffs.”

Post 43 is schedule to play six games this week ending the regular season at home July 1 with a doubleheader against Lancaster. Playoffs begin July 5.

This story was originally published June 27, 2016 at 3:28 PM with the headline "Post 43 splits doubleheader with No. 2 Rock Hill."