Post 13 baseball opens 2015 season
By Mike Weatherford, Contributing Writer, @darlingtonpride
Post 13 Junior Legion baseball sponsored by the American Legion opened in Darlington this week with two close losses from drastically different styles of games. Post 13 lost to Post 53 from Hartsville in a 2 to 0 pitcher’s duel on Monday the 1st. Then, on Friday June 5th, they lost to Post 1 from Florence 18 to 15 in an eight inning shootout.
Monday’s game saw Post 13, coached by recently appointed Darlington High School varsity baseball coach Dennis Gearhart, held to 5 hits and no runs in 7 innings, after being held in check by Hartsville pitcher Garrett Gainey. Two of those hits were collected by leadoff man Jared Boswell, who along with his two singles, made an unbelievable diving play in center in the 5th inning to stop a Hartsville rally.
Jake Jones, Will Hickson, and Tommy Williams picked up the other three Post 13 hits. Jake Jones and Bryant Huggins handled the pitching duties. They combined to give up only 4 hits while striking, out 7.
“We were right there in it the whole time. We just have to get those timely hits. We will be fine though and no one will out work us.” Coach Gearhart said after the game.
Friday’s game was a little more offensive minded with Post 13 scoring 15 runs on 15 hits after trailing 9 to 0 after the first inning of play. Again, Darlington was led by leadoff man Jared Boswell who singled and scored on three separate occasions, and made a running catch on a well hit ball to center field with his back to the infield. Other contributors were Matthew DeMaurice who went 2 for 5, Jake Jones at 2 for 6, Eric McElveen at 3 for 5, Cameron Norris at 2 for 4, Rylan Weatherford at 1 for 3 and Bryant Huggins at 2 for 4.
Darlington trailed the majority of the game but tied things up at 14 in the 7th with a gutsy suicide squeeze call by Coach Gearhart with catcher Cameron Norris at the plate. Norris laid down a perfect bunt to score Jake Jones who was three quarters down the line when the bunt went down and scored easily.
“We showed a lot of fight. We never gave up and we never will”, Coach Gearhart was quoted as saying.
Pitching duties were handled by Brycen Brown, Rylan Weatherford and Jake Jones who combined to strike out 5 on the night.
Post 13 next plays home against Marlboro on Monday the 8th and then Wednesday the 10th at home against Cheraw. The remaining home games are Monday the 15th against Bishopville and Friday the 26th against South Florence. Admission is $5 and the concession stand is second to none.
Post 13 is coached by Dennis Gearhart, Danny Williamson and Barry Brown.
