‘Another great year’: Rock Hill SC’s Piedmont Pride wins 3rd title in 4 seasons

The Piedmont Pride won the Southern Baseball League title in Mooresville on Saturday, and Fort Mill moved to the second round of play in the American League Baseball tournament — which continues this week.

Here’s the latest on The Herald coverage area’s summer baseball teams.

Piedmont Pride crowned as champions again

Piedmont won the tournament title for the third time in the last four years. Two weeks ago, the team wrapped up the regular season championship for a fifth time in six years.

“It was another great year for our program,’‘ Pride head coach Joe Hudak said. “We had players step up all year to help us win games. We excelled in all facets of the game, and we had tremendous leadership from our players”.

The Pride, which finished the summer with a record of 27-7, opened the week on Wednesday with a 6-0 win over Lake Norman. The team scored three runs in the eighth to take a 7-0 lead and move on in the tournament.

Scottie Lee led the offense with a pair of hits and four runs batted in. Devin Buckner added two hits and drove in one run. Ben Wetenhall added a hit and drove home a pair of runs. Willie Lumpkin picked up the win with a spectacular performance on the mound. He pitched into the eighth, allowing only three hits while striking out 10.

That win advanced the Pride to the semifinals on Thursday, when the team nipped the Carolina Vipers, 3-2. Piedmont scored twice in the eighth to break a 1-1 tie and hold on for the win.

Buckner’s two-run home run in the decisive eighth inning was the big hit. Hayden Cross added a hit and drove in one run. Dawson Gause pitched the first six frames. He allowed only one hit and struck out nine, but got no decision. Jonathan Tyler, the third Pride pitcher, got the last four outs to earn the win.

That win propelled the Pride to the championship round on Saturday, and the team again topped the Vipers (who worked their way through the losers bracket) by a score of 5-1. The Pride scored twice in the third and put the game away with a three-run rally in the sixth.

Buckner led the hitting attack with a pair of hits, including a home run, and he drove in two runs. Wetenhall added a double and drove in a pair of runs, while Patrick Glasser drove in a run with an infield groundout.

Austin Morgan pitched into the eighth and recorded the win. He allowed four hits, one run and struck out 11.

“The fellowship we had from day one was most valuable to our success,” Hudak said. “We spent a lot of time together, and it helped us come together quicker and trust each other.”

The Pride’s success since joining the league has been exceptional. It has not happened without a lot of planning and work.

“I usually start in late August or early September to put a roster together for the next summer,” said Hudak. “We look at the players who are eligible to return first, and then start getting statistics and coach’s recommendations for other players that are out there.”

Hudak felt like one thing has really contributed to the success his team has every year.

“Word of mouth from players talking about their overall experience on the field and off the field has been crucial for us,” said Hudak. “When other players hear about winning and a positive experience, it really helps them want to be here.”

American League Baseball: Fort Mill advances

In the American League Baseball season, Fort Mill moved to the second round of play by sweeping Lancaster in a best-of-three opening-round series.

Fort Mill opened the series with a 6-4 win. The team piled up a 6-0 advantage after four innings and held off a late Lancaster charge to record the victory: Patrick Matthews led the offense with three hits and two runs batted in, and Magdiel Cotto was superb on the mound, pitching five innings of hitless and scoreless baseball.

Fort Mill punched its ticket to the second round with a 4-2 win in the second game. Fort Mill tallied twice in the top of the sixth to break a 2-2 deadlock and hang on for the win: Xavier Cumbee provided the winning runs with a two-run home run in the sixth, and AJ Jaworowski and Aaron Pendergast drove in one run each for Fort Mill. Meanwhile, Kyle Raynor earned the win on the mound, working six innings and striking out 10. Dusty Sanderlin got the final three outs to record the save.

“We are getting better as the year moves along,” Fort Mill head coach Tom Skula said. “We were an experienced team when the year started. We have worked hard and gotten better each week. That has contributed greatly to our success.”

How to watch the last bit of summer baseball

▪ Fort Mill (12-2) begins its best-of-three series with North Augusta on Monday night in Lancaster at 7:30 p.m. Game Two will be in North Augusta on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. And the third game, if necessary, will be played in Lancaster.

Fort Mill defeated North Augusta, 5-4, in a non-region game two weeks ago, but Skula and his team are taking nothing for granted.

“We are confident because we beat them earlier in the year,” added Skula. “However, we know they are an excellent team. We must be ready to play.”

▪ Piedmont Pride in the SBL, as well as Rock Hill and Lancaster in the ALB, saw their seasons end last week.

This story was originally published August 10, 2020 at 1:36 PM.