Hartsville baseball de-claws Belton-Honea Path
By Don Gearhart
The Southeastern Baseball Classic tournament in Hartsville attracts good teams from across the states. Hartsville had the misfortune of playing two excellent out-of-state teams losing 18-3 to Dematha Catholic out of Hyattsville, MD, and 18-8 to Georgia Premier Academy from Statesboro, GA.
The Red Foxes finally got some positive when they faced an in-state opponent in Belton-Honea Path Bears. Although they accounted for fifteen hits in the contest, the scoring was low. Hartsville earned a run in the first inning with consecutive hits by Jackson Moore, Grayson Weekley, and McKenzie Douglas with Douglas earning the RBI. A fourth hit by Andrew Askins loaded the bases with just one out but the Red Foxes failed to capitalize.
In the third inning, Douglas got aboard on an error, went to third on a double by Askins, then scored on a base hit off the bat of Web Barnes.
The fourth inning showed yet another run. Weekley singled and went to third on a base hit from Douglas. Askins got an RBI single to plate Weekley. With runners on second and third with two outs, Douglas got picked off at third to end the rally.
The bottom of the order got another run for the Red Foxes when Lan Holloman got a base knock and scored when Jaden Atkinson blasted a double.
John Alexander was the winning pitcher for Hartsville. The big righthander only allowed five baserunners through seven innings of duty. He gave up four hits while walking just one and striking out nine batters; the last three outs of the game were retired via strikeouts.
Alexander got plenty of support from his teammates who played errorless defense and were led by three hits apiece from Douglas and Askins and two hits each from Moore, Weekley, and Holloman.