Larry Hewett/Clarendon Citizen
Sumter smacks Post 68 in delayed opener
It took three tries, but Sumter and Manning-Santee finally completed their first encounter after two rain-outs pushed the scheduled season opener all the way to Saturday. The P-15’s showed why they’re the favorites to take the region again as they hammered out a 15-5 victory.
Just as they did in Monday’s rain-out, Sumter jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Blake Graham and Bruce Caldwell both collected base hits and came around to score as Sumter sent eight batters to the plate. The score became 6-0 in the third when the P-15’s put together three hits and two walks, coupled with a pair of Post 68 errors.
With starting pitcher Tyler A. Smith sailing along, it looked like Manning-Santee was in for a tough night. But momentum swung to the home team in the bottom of the third inning as Manning-Santee tallied five runs, all after two outs.
Aubrey McFadden singled and scored on Ericson Coker’s RBI double. Heath Smith took ball four and Joey Brunson was hit by a pitch, loading the bases.
Trevor Morris then cleared the bases with a triple to right center, cutting the deficit to 6-4. Justin Huggins then hit a hot grounder that got by the P-15’s third baseman Patrick Gordon. Morris trotted home with run number five and M-S seemed to have new life.
But the Manning side of the Coca-Cola scoreboard would remain silent for the rest of the game as Sumter would rattle off nine unanswered runs to close out the scoring.
The loss dropped Manning-Santee to 1-2 on the season while Sumter improved to 4-0.
Hartsville tags Post 68 with third loss
It took awhile for any offense to show up for either team Sunday evening at Monarch field, but Hartsville got their bats going first and claimed a 6-3 win over Manning-Santee. The loss dropped Post 68 to 1-3 for the season.
The first three innings were dominated by solid pitching as Post 68 starter Zan Beasley and Post 53 starter Cody Mincey each surrendered only one harmless base hit, coincidentally to the number eight batter in each lineup.
But inning number four would see Hartsville send eight batters to the plate with three crossing home plate. Mincey got things going with a lead-off single and scored on a double from Brandon Beans. Tyler Logan and Storm Beasley added two-out singles with Lance Gaddy driving in the third run with his second base hit of the evening.
Post 53 tacked on two more in the top of the fifth inning aided by a hit batter, a sacrifice, a base on balls, and a costly Post 68 error.
Trailing 5-0, Post 68 finally got a run initiated by Douglas Ard’s second double of the game. With two outs, Ard scored when Bill Wheeler was safe at first after Post 53 first baseman Storm Beasley’s error.
The home team crept to within 5-3 when Manning-Santee scored twice in the bottom of the seventh. Eight batters went to the plate but could manage only one hit as Post 68 tapped into two fielder’s choices, drew a pair of walks and had another couple of batters hit by a pitch. Trevor Morris flew out to left field with the bases loaded to end the rally. Douglas Ard, who went three for four at the plate, collected the only base hit in the inning.
Hartsville answered with a single run in the eighth frame as Will Adams lead off with a walk and eventually came around to score on Gaddy’s RBI single.
Manning-Santee could not respond in their final at-bats and Post 53 took the 6-3 win.
