INMAN, SC - After a week that saw a lot of their games having to be rescheduled for weather, the Inman Post 45 softball finally returned to their home field at Chapman High School where they split a doubleheader with Buffalo Post 87 on Tuesday night.
The first game saw Buffalo win 1-0 in a pitching duel between Inman pitcher Eliana DeYoung and Buffalo pitcher Kam Akins. In the matchup DeYoung allowed one run on three hits while striking out three batters and on the other hand Akins pitched a shutout while allowing three hits of her own and striking out four batters. Buffalo scored the only run of the game in the first inning as Ivey Medford worked a walk before Akins helped her own cause with a triple down the leftfield line scoring Medford for a 1-0 lead. In the second game Inman got a strong pitching performance from Alexis Floyd who pitched all five innings allowing one run, five hits, and striking out striking out one while allowing her defense to make some stunning plays behind her. One of those dazzling plays came in the top of the third inning when Mya Codispoti laid out to make a diving catch in the foul territory of right field and Lillian Wilson made a strong diving catch at shortstop while tagging second base for a forced out to end the inning. Buffalo got their only run of the game in the first inning when Kam Akins with one out hit a double into left field before scoring on a single to centerfield by Laken Lewis to take a 1-0 lead. Inman responded in the bottom of the first inning when Sydnee Spencer reached base and advanced to second base on an error to start their half of the inning. Spencer stole third base before scoring on a single by Leah Taylor to tie the game at 1-1. Both teams held the other team to one hit each over the next two innings as both teams went scoreless. In the bottom of the fourth inning, Inman took their first lead of the night in either game when Isabella Ballanger crushed a ball to deep centerfield to give Post 45 a 2-1 lead over Buffalo. Buffalo got two runners on in the top of the fifth inning but a strong throw from shortstop Lillian Wilson to first base sealed the victory for Inman. Inman will have a quick turnaround as they'll return to the field Wednesday night when they host Anderson in a doubleheader that begins at 6:00 PM. GAFFNEY, S.C. – Monday marked the fourth and final regular season meeting between Inman Post 45 and the Gaffney Post 109 Crusaders. A solid outing on the hill and a mid-game spark led Inman to a 4-1 victory over Gaffney in six innings.
The game was called in the top of the seventh due to severe weather/lightning in the area. With the victory, Inman also won the season series by a three games to one margin. Jacob Cogdell toed the slab for Post 45 and settled in quickly, retiring the Crusaders in order on a groundout and two strikeouts in the first inning. Later in the third, the right-hander added two more punchouts to his ledger. On the night, Cogdell held the Crusaders to one run on one hit over four innings of work and finished with seven strikeouts. Jarren Metcalf reached on a fielders’ choice in the second and advanced to third on a Ricky Montalvo single to right. Metcalf later scored on a Perry Dyer sacrifice fly to center. Gaffney tied the game at one in the bottom of the frame with a sacrifice fly of their own. Inman picked up a pair of base hits just two innings later, one apiece from Corben Childers and Metcalf. Two batters later, Dyer drew a one-out walk that loaded the bases before a wild pitch and passed ball allowed Childers and Metcalf to score, respectively, and stake Inman to a 3-1 advantage. Gaffney threatened in their half of the fourth by putting two runners aboard with only one out, but Cogdell worked out of the jam with another strikeout and fly out. Johann Rodriguez earned a free pass in the fifth and swiped second before scoring on a Gaffney miscue, which made it a 4-1 lead at that juncture of the contest. Aaron Sewell tossed two scoreless innings, earning the save for Post 45. Inman (6-2) returns to action on Wednesday evening with a road matchup against Buffalo, slated for a 7 PM start. INMAN, S.C. – After dropping a pair of close games, Inman Post 45 looked to get back on track Tuesday night. A superb showing on the mound paved the way as Inman went wire-to-wire for a 6-2 victory over the Gaffney Post 109 Crusaders.
Jacob Cogdell got the starting nod for Post 45 and did yeoman’s work. Only one Gaffney batter reached base safely over the first four innings, by way of a walk. The Crusader runner attempted to swipe third base but was thrown out by Johann Rodriguez to end the second inning. The Newberry College signee held the Crusaders without a hit for four and two-thirds innings. In total, the right-hander yielded just two runs (one earned) on four hits while striking out four. “I kind of knew, but I just tried not to think about it,” Cogdell said about the no-hit bid. “I knew I was settled in after the second inning and that I was in a groove tonight. The run support definitely took the pressure off. I just need to keep doing my thing and they keep doing their thing (hitting), and we’ll be good.” “Jacob was good from the get-go tonight,” exclaimed Inman coach Mark Line. “That was a really good performance. He has been consistent, and I have enjoyed putting him out there. He is one of those guys that every time he pitches, you feel like you’ve got a real good chance to win.” Rodriguez provided an early spark at the plate in the opening frame by sending the second pitch he saw over the centerfield wall, staking Inman to a 1-0 lead. In the next frame, Corben Childers and Jarren Metcalf scored on a Jack Settle single to right-center, while Cason Owens scored on a Luke Compton RBI groundout. A Hudson Moss base knock in the fourth allowed Metcalf to score and built a 5-0 advantage. Gaffney broke up the no-hitter in the fifth with a Jonah Epps two-out base hit to left. Two batters later, Epps came around to score on another Crusader hit and cut the deficit down to four. With two outs and the bases loaded, Inman right fielder Kaden Roach preserved the lead with a leaping grab to end the frame. Hudson Wilson recorded a hit and later crossed home plate on a Childers double in the bottom of the inning, which made it a 6-1 Inman advantage at that juncture of the contest. “Johann hit that ball a ton,” Line remarked. “It was a line drive, no doubter. We have been pretty solid through the order with our hitting all season long. We lost two one-run games (recently) and sometimes, baseball will drive you nuts. This was a way to bounce back, and we bounced back strong tonight. I’m just proud of the way they played.” Aaron Sewell tossed a perfect seventh inning to secure the victory for Inman. During the frame, Metcalf made a diving catch in shallow center to erase what would have been a one-out base runner for the Crusaders. At the plate for Post 45, Childers was 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles and a run batted in. Metcalf was 1-for-2 with two runs scored, while Wilson also tallied a hit and scored a run. Moss and Settle each recorded a hit in three at-bats, combining to drive in three runs. Inman (5-2) will close out a three-game homestand on Thursday evening with a league matchup against Spartanburg, slated for a 7 PM start. GAFFNEY, S.C – For the third time this week, Inman Post 45 was on the road in League Five action, this time against the Gaffney Post 109 Crusaders. One big inning proved to be the decisive factor, as Gaffney rallied late for a 6-5 win and dealt Inman its first defeat of the campaign.
Inman’s Luke Compton was hit by a pitch to open the contest, then successfully swiped both second and third bases before trotting home on a Hudson Wilson RBI groundout, staking Post 45 to a 1-0 lead. During the next frame, Jarren Metcalf and Perry Dyer reached on a base hit and hit-by-pitch, respectively, and eventually scored on another Crusader defensive miscue. Johann Rodriguez led off the third with a scorching single that ricocheted off the third base bag and later crossed home plate on a wild pitch, creating a four run advantage for Inman. But then, things changed in the fifth inning. In the frame, Gaffney rallied by sending 11 up to bat and plating six runs on two Inman errors, two wild pitches, and a bases loaded walk, which put Post 109 in front by a 6-4 margin. Inman cut the deficit in half in the sixth when Dyer notched a base hit to center and later scored on a fielders’ choice, but went down in order in its final turn at bat in the seventh. Compton (two-for-three) and Metcalf (two-for-four) led Post 45 at the plate, with each scoring a run. Next up for Inman (4-1) is a three-game homestand at Jim Everhart Field, beginning with a league matchup against Buffalo on Monday. The game is slated for a 7 PM start. CHESNEE, SC - Chesnee Post 48 and Gaffney Post 109 split an American Legion softball doubleheader in front of a good home crowd for Chesnee on Wednesday evening.
"We played well in game two," said Chesnee Post 48 coach Tripp Fogle. "It's a learning process. We are a young team and we have a lot of girls getting game experience. Overall, I'm pleased with the growth of this team." Gaffney Post 109 took game one by a score of 11-6 as they struck first in the top of the first inning with a RBI single by Josie Brown to give them an early 1-0 lead. Post 48 struck back quickly in the bottom half as Harley Grady scored on an error while Faith Wall hit a two RBI single, and Natalie Morris had a RBI single of her own to give Post 48 a 4-1 after one inning of play. Post 109 busted the game open by scoring nine runs across in the second and third innings. In the second inning, Post 109 got a RBI groundout from Taylor Tessner, RBI single from Charley Oglesby, and a two RBI double from Josie Brown. In the third inning, Post 109 got a RBI sac fly by Kayla Butler, a Taylor Tessner RBI single, Charley Oglesby RBI double, and a pair of runs scored on errors to make it 10-4 in favor of Gaffney Post 109 halfway through the third inning. Chesnee Post 48 cut the lead to 10-6 in the bottom of the third inning thanks to a two RBI double by Ansley Blanton. A Charley Oglesby RBI single in the top of the fourth inning capped the scoring in game one giving Gaffney Post 109 an 11-6 victory. In game two, Chesnee Post 48 got a terrific performance in the circle by Kyndall Brill and had a fast start offensively as they won 11-1 in four innings. Brill pitched a complete game one hitter with four strikeouts and done a terrific job of working out of a bases loaded no outs jam in the second inning along with a bases loaded two out jam in the third inning. "Kyndall has been working hard," said Fogle. "She bulldogged her way through those situations. It showed tremendous growth for her and showed how much she has improved as the season has gone on." Post 109 did manage to scratch across a run in the third inning thanks to a bases loaded walk drawn by Taylor Queen. Chesnee Post 48 got off to a hot start in game two thanks to a six run first inning as Faith Wall and Loren Potter each had RBI singles while Kyndall Brill hit a RBI double. Olivia Tolleson also had a RBI groundout while a pair of runs also scored on errors. Tolleson picked up two more RBIs thanks to a single in the bottom of the second inning to make it 8-0 in favor of Post 48 early on. Post 48 tacked on another run in the bottom of the third inning thanks to Jada Sellars' RBI double. In the bottom of the fourth inning, Claire Owens' third hit of the night turned out to be a game ender as she hit a two RBI single to give Post 48 an 11-1 four inning win thanks to the ten-run rule. Chesnee Post 48 will travel to Buffalo Post 87 on Tuesday with a 6:00 PM scheduled first pitch. UNION, S.C. – The second of a three-game road trip took Inman Post 45 to the Timken Sports Complex for their first League Five matchup against Buffalo Post 87. A pair of big innings and a solid pitching performance propelled Inman to a 12-4 victory over Buffalo.
Corben Childers led off the second inning with an opposite-field double to right and scored on a wild pitch for an early 1-0 Inman lead. With the bases loaded, Ricky Montalvo scored on a Hudson Moss base hit to left. Three batters later, Hudson Wilson drove in two more runs with a two-out single to center, building a 4-0 advantage for Post 45. Inman added on in the fourth as a Cason Owens base knock scored Wilson, while Dyer notched a two-run single. Luke Compton drove in a run on a fielders’ choice, followed by a Johann Rodriguez RBI groundout that extended the Inman lead to 10-1 at that juncture of the contest. Childers also posted a solid outing on the hill for Inman. After Buffalo loaded the bases in the opening frame, he picked up a groundout to second on the very next pitch. The right-hander also struck out three of the last four Post 87 batters that he faced. In total, Childers held Buffalo to one run on two hits over four innings and recorded nine strikeouts. “(Childers) puts a lot of pressure on himself,” said Inman coach Mark Line. “Once he settled in early, he was good. He is strong and throws the ball hard. He is going to be a force for us and will pitch a lot. We’ve got deeper pitching than I thought we would have. We have some guys that are also doing a good job (pitching), too.” Buffalo scored three runs in the latter stages of the contest on a two-run single in the fifth and a sacrifice fly aided by two Inman errors in the seventh to provide the final margin. At the plate, Jarren Metcalf was 3-for-4 with two doubles and two runs scored. Moss and Owens each were 1-for-2, with the prior tallying two runs batted in. Wilson finished 1-for-3 with two walks and two RBI, while Jack Settle and Kaden Roach each recorded a hit. “We hit the ball hard tonight,” Line stated. “We continue going up to the plate and having good at-bats. What we have to do is show up every night and play. Nobody is going to give us anything and if we decide not to show up, somebody will kick our tails. We have to show up every night.” Inman (4-0) will travel over to Jug Wallace Field on Thursday for a league matchup with Gaffney, scheduled for a 7 PM start. INMAN, SC - After taking two over Gaffney last Thursday in a doubleheader (12-5, 17-7) to open the home part of their schedule, the Inman Post 45 softball team returned home on Tuesday splitting a doubleheader with the visiting team from Chesnee Post 48.
Inman used a big third inning to capture the first game 5-3 while Chesnee used a big top of the fifth inning to rally for a 5-4 win in game two. In the first game, Chesnee jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning as Claire Owens reached base on a single just outside the reach of the Inman infield before scoring on a triple to right centerfield by Jada Sellars to make the score 1-0. Sellars later came around to score on a groundout to third base by Olivia Tolleson to push the lead to 2-0 over Inman. Post 45 bounced back in the bottom half of the inning as Sydnee Spencer hit a triple to left field to start the Inman half of the inning. Spencer later scored on a groundout by Leah Taylor to cut the Chesnee lead in half at 2-1 at the end of the first inning. After the two runs in the first inning, Inman pitcher Eliana DeYoung pitched the next three innings without allowing a run as she went all five innings allowing three runs on seven hits while striking out four batters. With one out in the top of the third inning, Sydnee Spencer came to bat hitting her second triple of the game as she drove a ball to deep left centerfield. Spencer scored on the next at-bat as Kenslie Edwards hit a single to centerfield to tie the game at 2-2. Leah Taylor reached base on a fielder's choice in the next at-bat before advancing to third base on an infield single by Darby Ward. Eliana DeYoung singled home Taylor to give Inman a 3-2 lead before Ward stole home to push the Post 45 lead to 4-2 over Chesnee. Inman added to their lead in the bottom of the fourth inning when Alexis Floyd, who reached base on a single to left field, later scored on a single to centerfield by Kenslie Edwards to push the lead to 5-2. Chesnee's Lianna Kreydich, who reached base on a double to right centerfield, cut the Inman lead to 5-3 when she scored on a Claire Owens single but that was as close as Chesnee would get in the first game. The second game started in a very similar fashion as the first one as Harly Grady led off the game with a single before coming around to score on an error that allowed Claire Owens to advance to third base. Owens scored on a Jada Sellars single to centerfield that once again gave Chesnee Post 48 an early 2-0 lead. Sydnee Spence started Inman's half of the inning with a single to left field before once again cutting the Chesnee lead in half at 2-1 when she scored from second base on a single to centerfield by Leah Taylor. In the top of the fourth inning, Inman once again took the lead as they scored three runs in the bottom half of the inning to take a 4-2 lead over Chesnee. Alexis Floyd started the inning working a walk before advancing to third on a groundout and a single by Lael Raines. Floyd tied the game when Sydnee Spencer beat out an infield single to put the score at 2-2. Raines gave Inman a 3-2 lead when she scored on a groundout by Kenslie Edwards before Spencer pushed the lead to 4-2 on a triple to right centerfield by Leah Taylor. With Chesnee down two runs going into the final inning, Post 48 responded with a big inning of their own as they scored three runs to retake the lead and eventually win the game. Lianna Kreydich started off the inning with an infield single before advancing to third base on an error that allowed Harly Grady to reach second base. Kreydich cut the lead to 4-3 when she scored on a single by Jada Sellars. Grady and Sellars both scored on the next at-bat as Kydall Brill hit a single to centerfield scoring both players to give Post 48 the lead. Inman tied to make a rally in the bottom of the fifth inning but weren't able to score a run to tie the game. Sydnee Spencer had a big night for Inman as she went four of six with two triples, two singles, and one RBI while scoring four runs. Inman improves to 5-2 on the season and will now travel to Anderson Post 14 on Wednesday for another doubleheader that will be played at Westside High School with games slated to begin at 6:00 PM. Chesnee improves to 2-4 on the season and will next host Gaffney Post 109 at Chesnee High School on Wednesday for another doubleheader that will begin at 6:00 PM. INMAN, S.C. – For the second time in four days, Inman Post 45 traveled to Historic Duncan Park for a League Five contest against the Spartanburg Post 28 Mustangs. A strong showing on the mound and hot bats powered Inman to a 14-2 victory over Spartanburg in five innings.
Right-hander Jacob Cogdell toed the slab for his second start of the season and settled in early. In the opening frame, the Newberry College signee recorded two strikeouts and worked around a pair of hits to keep the Mustangs off the board. Cogdell turned around in the second and retired the side on just 10 pitches, striking out two more batters. On the night, he finished with nine strikeouts in four innings of work, holding Spartanburg to a run on five hits. “He has just been lights out,” exclaimed Inman coach Mark Line about Cogdell’s first two starts. “He’s been taught how to pitch and is around the zone. He doesn’t walk people and doesn’t get himself in trouble. He doesn’t hang his curveball and throws hard enough. I really like him a lot.” “I felt really good and definitely settled in after the first inning,” said Cogdell. “I stayed in a groove and kept them off balance all night. They kept swinging late and swinging through (the fastball), so I kept attacking them with it. I knew that I just needed to go out there, do my job, and get us back out there to put up more runs.” Inman’s batting order found a spark in the first as Corben Childers singled the opposite way to right field, driving in Johann Rodriguez for a 1-0 lead. One inning later, Post 45 posted a big inning by sending 12 to the plate and scoring nine runs. Jarren Metcalf drew a leadoff walk and scored on a Cason Owens single to right. Hudson Wilson earned an RBI the hard way on a hit-by-pitch with the bases loaded, followed by a Kaden Roach two-run double off the left-centerfield wall and a Childers two-run single. Perry Dyer, Luke Compton, and Rodriguez each notched an RBI base hit in the fourth, which helped build a 14-0 advantage for Post 45. Spartanburg used consecutive doubles – one apiece by Garrett Fulmer and Ian Squires – to get on the board in the bottom of the frame. The Mustangs added another run in the fifth on a Dee Davis single. “You’re lucky to have a couple of nights like that,” Line stated about the offensive output. “There’s no magic to it. The kids are going up to the plate, taking good swings, and hitting the ball where nobody’s standing.” “They like being around each other and I think that helps make them comfortable at the plate. When the guy ahead of you gets a double, you don’t want to be the guy who doesn’t. Hitting kind of manifests itself by making the next guy want to hit.” Childers went 3-for-4 with a triple and three RBI, while Dyer and Compton each recorded two hits in four at-bats. Rodriguez also finished 2-for-3 with two RBI, while Roach was 1-for-2. Dyer tallied three RBI on the evening, while Metcalf notched two hits and scored three times. Inman (3-0) will hit the road again on Tuesday, this time to the Timken Sports Complex for a league matchup with Buffalo, scheduled for a 7 PM start. SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Friday night’s game at Historic Duncan Park marked the 90th home opener for Spartanburg Post 28 at the old ballpark, as the Mustangs hosted longtime foe Inman Post 45 for a League Five matchup. What began as a back and forth battle suddenly changed as an offensive outburst propelled Inman to a 15-4 victory over Spartanburg.
Spartanburg struck for three runs in the first inning, two of which scored on a pair of Inman errors while an Avery Still sacrifice fly plated another. Inman sent nine up to bat in the second and recorded four straight hits – one each by Corben Childers, Ricky Montalvo, Cason Owens, and Jarren Metcalf – at one point during the frame. Owens smacked a single to center that scored Childers, followed by a Metcalf two-RBI base knock which plated Owens and Montalvo and tied the game at three. Three batters later, a Johann Rodriguez single to center drove in Metcalf and gave Inman a one run lead. “It was fastball, adjust, and line drives up the middle,” said Metcalf. “It felt great at the plate tonight. I’m getting to play (on the same team) with guys that I never got to play with growing up. I’ve known them since we were five or six years old playing against each other.” With the game deadlocked at four, Inman took advantage of two miscues. Childers crossed home plate on a Metcalf RBI fielders’ choice, while Montalvo scored on a Spartanburg error. Metcalf advanced to third on the play and sprinted home on a wild pitch, which gave Post 45 a three-run lead. With a Mustang runner on first and one out, a pop up drifted across the first base line into foul territory, where Inman catcher Hudson Wilson tracked it down and quickly fired the ball to second baseman Perry Dyer at first base to double off the runner and end the frame. “I thought it was heading over more towards Ricky,” Wilson recalled. “I didn’t get my body turned, then I looked up and (the ball) was right there, and then I threw to first. It helped Ricky a lot to get out of that inning and throw one more for us.” An Owens sacrifice fly and a Metcalf opposite-field triple to right in the sixth, along with a Childers grand slam down the left field line in the seventh off a two-strike offering, provided the final margin for the contest. “I was sticking with the same approach I had throughout the game,” stated Childers. “I was thinking backside, but I got an inside pitch and drove it. It hit the bat perfectly. We’ve got that grit to us, so we just kept on battling and ended up taking it all the way. That’s our approach every game.” Metcalf went 3-for-4 at the plate with a game-high five RBI, while Childers was 4-for-5 with four RBI. Johann Rodriguez also went 4-for-5 with an RBI. Montalvo earned the win by tossing four innings, striking out three and holding Spartanburg to four runs. Aaron Sewell and Jack Settle combined for three shutout innings and seven strikeouts out of the bullpen for Post 45. Inman (2-0) will make a return trip to Historic Duncan Park on Monday for a league matchup with Spartanburg (1-1), scheduled for a 7 PM start. INMAN, S.C. – It was a wild Wednesday evening as Inman Post 45 baseball opened its 2023 season against the Gaffney Post 109 Crusaders at Jim Everhart Field. In the late stages, Inman pieced together a rally and emerged with a 6-5 victory over Gaffney.
Tied at one entering the fifth, Gaffney broke through and took its first lead. After a base hit and walk, a Post 45 throwing error plated a run and allowed two Crusaders to move into scoring position. Two other miscues allowed the Crusaders to plate four runs in the frame for a 5-1 advantage. In the home half of the sixth, Kaden Roach launched a two-strike offering over the left-center field wall for a solo home run, which cut into the deficit and provided a much needed spark for the Inman offense. Corben Childers singled to center field and later scored on a wild pitch, trimming the deficit down to two. “I was just trying to get on base any way that I could,” said Roach. “I really thought that it was a double off the bat. I think it’s great for the team. It shows that it doesn’t matter what’s going on or how many runs you’re down by, that you can always come back and (make a) play.” Ricky Montalvo drew a free pass, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a Luke Compton opposite-field single to left. Jarren Metcalf worked a walk and touched home plate on a wild pitch, tying the game at five. Compton advanced to third during the play and scored on a passed ball, putting Inman in front by a 6-5 margin. “I was trying to slow down,” Compton stated. “In my first couple of at-bats, I felt that I was speeding up, so I wanted to slow down to see the ball and hit it. We kept talking about having grit and that’s how we have to play. It felt great (to score the go-ahead run), with it being opening day. I’ve played against some of these guys (on the Inman team), so it feels good to be teammates with them. They’re all good ballplayers.” At the plate for Post 45, Johann Rodriguez went 3-for-4 with a double to right-center, followed by Compton with two base hits and two runs scored. Hudson Wilson also recorded an RBI sacrifice fly in the third inning. On the mound, Inman starter Jacob Cogdell faced one batter over the minimum in four innings of work, striking out seven while holding the Crusaders without a hit and yielding one run. Kyle Dill notched the save for Post 45, while Perry Dyer picked up the win. “I think we were sitting in the dugout over those first couple of innings waiting to break out offensively,” Inman coach Mark Line remarked. “It took longer than we thought but when we did, the kids went up there and put some good at-bats together.” “I thought the way the kids responded in the seventh with the double play was great. Hudson Wilson took it and made the exact right play and (Hudson) Moss did a nice job on the turn. These guys come from good programs and have been coached well. They understand that if you make a mistake, the next guy has to pick you up. I think that’s what we did tonight.” Inman (1-0) will travel over to Historic Duncan Park on Friday for a league matchup with Spartanburg (1-0), scheduled for a 7 PM start. |