Fort Mill pulls out tough 2-1 victory over Clover in softball

The young Yellow Jackets might have grown up a lot this week. After a close Region 3-4A opening loss Tuesday at perennial power Northwestern 3-2 in extra innings, Fort Mill went to Clover Thursday night and pulled out a tough 2-1 victory over the Blue Eagles.

Freshman Bella Roy went the distance on the mound for Fort Mill and struck out nine while allowing one run on seven hits and only one walk to get the win. Cassie McInerney had what would turn out to be the game-deciding RBI-base hit in the fourth and made some huge plays at third base, especially in the seventh inning.

“Our starting third baseman got hurt and she’s going to have surgery,” said Fort Mill coach Chuck Stegall. “This year when we asked everyone to set their goals. Cassie said I just want to play. And I told her ‘You’re going to get the opportunity to play more this year.’ She’s a good ballplayer. And she’ll do anything you ask her to do. It’s been a long time since we’ve come over here and won. We’ve got a special group.”

McInerney singled home Lauren Collie with two outs in the fourth after Collie doubled, and that made the score 2-0. In the seventh, still clinging to a 2-1 lead with Tiffany Dominique on first with a lead-off base hit, McInerney charged in and made a diving catch off pinch-hitter Kailey Carpenter’s bunt attempt for the first out. Micah Sherwood then lined a shot toward third that McInerney leaped to snatch out of the air for the second out. Roy got a swinging strikeout for the final out of the game.

Taylor Rayborn led off the game with a triple down the right field line and scored on Joslyn Halcom’s bunt for a 1-0 lead. Halcom also threw out Marisa Harkey in the sixth inning when Harkey tried to go first-to-third on a base hit to left by Shania Dominique. Sydney Burrell led off with a bunt base hit and Harkey drove her in with a single to left for the Blue Eagles’ only run. Tiffany Dominique advanced to second when Harkey was thrown out, but she was stranded there as Roy retired the next two batters.

Clover also got the first two batters on in the second, but two strikeouts and a popout ended the threat. Elizabeth Edmunds struck out seven for the Blue Eagles and allowed two runs on only four hits and one walk.

“Taylor’s been a stable for us,” Stegall said. “She just came out of nowhere a couple years ago. We moved the lineup around tonight because our starting shortstop was out. We told them before we got off the bus that everybody’s got to pick up the slack. We moved Joslyn to left and she did an excellent job.”

Fort Mill plays rival Nation Ford Tuesday night.

This story was originally published March 12, 2015 at 10:16 PM with the headline "Fort Mill pulls out tough 2-1 victory over Clover in softball."