Published: Thursday, Jun. 25, 2009 / Updated: Thursday, Jun. 25, 2009 04:46 PM
Post 43 thumps Lancaster
FORT MILL TOWNSHIP --
After a rain-slowed double header split in Clover early last week, Fort Mill’s Post 43 baseball team took advantage of a sunny summer night Thursday, swinging its way to a 17-8 thumping of Lancaster.
The win lifted the club to .500, 3-3 on the season after starting 0-2.
“We’re starting to come around,” Head Coach Eric Baddeley said after the win.
“The team has been working hard. Even though we haven’t played much, the guys have been coming out on their own time and hitting.” Post 43’s offense was led by Nation Ford sophomore Kyle Whitman, who hit two-RBI doubles in the second and third innings, and drove in five runs in the game.
“The Whitmans (Kyle and older brother Shane) are two great leaders on our team… Shane really helps out the younger guys,” Baddeley said. Shane will be a sophomore on the USC-Lancaster team next year.
Former Fort Mill standout Eli Windham pitched seven innings from the mound, and although he had a tough third inning, giving up three unearned runs after a throwing error on a routine infield play, he regained his composure to pitch four more solid innings.
“I was pretty upset but I got out of the inning, sat in the dugout and calmed myself down,” Windham said. “Then I came back out and found the right pitches to throw.”
Plus, putting up 17 runs by the end of a game will usually help settle a pitcher.
“It seemed like a soon as we gave up a run, we came back in the dugout and got it back, and more,” Windham said. “We’re playing a lot better – 3-1 in our last four games.”
Windham plans to attend the University of South Carolina next fall, and may try to walk on to the team, according to Baddeley. “He throws hard enough and mixes the ball up… maybe well enough for a division one team,” Baddeley said. “He pitched great tonight, threw about 80 or 90 pitches and spotted the ball well.”
Shortstop Garrett Koster capped off the offensive night for Fort Mill, blasting a three-run home run over the left field fence in the seventh inning and giving Post 43 a nine-run lead.
The team is back in action Monday, June 29, when Clover visits Fort Mill High at 7 p.m.
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