Day Three: Rock Hill, SC

Once again we woke up early to travel to our next destination. On our way to Rock Hill, we stopped at the University of South Carolina. After eating lunch and going to a campus bookstore, we drove to South Carolina's new baseball stadium. We got lucky and we were able to go out on the field. They were doing some work and the workers allowed us to walk around the stadium. The stadium was incredible and it was great to have the opportunity to walk around pretty much wherever we wanted to.

After out impromptu tour, we headed up to Rock Hill to face Rock Hill Post 34. I came to know the people at Rock Hill when we played in the 2003 Southeast Regional. We played the Regional at Winthrop University but because of rain, we played a game at Rock Hill High School, which was the site of our game. It was great to return to the place where Post 34 made their first appearance in the Southeast Regional in my tenure as Head Coach. I have a lot of great memories from 2003 and it was fun to relive some of those memories.

Rock Hill (SC) Post 34 - 5
Tuscaloosa Post 34 - 4

Rock Hill jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning when they scored on an unearned run. The Alabama version of Post 34 took the lead in the top of the fourth when Trey Williamon hit a two run Home Run. Rock Hill took back the lead with a run in the bottom of the fourth and a run in the seventh. Rock Hill maintained the 3-2 lead until the top of the eighth. Wood Collins and Cameron Carlisle led off the eighth with back to back singles. Clean-up hitter, Tanner Ashcraft came through with a perfect sacrifice bunt to put runners at second and third with one out. Following a strikeout, Sam Kelley hit a ground ball that the Rock Hill shortstop dove and gloved but Kelley beat the throw to first. Collins scored on the ground ball and Carlisle scored after hustling around third and causing the Rock Hill catcher to drop the throw from the first baseman.

Rock Hill led off the bottom of the ninth inning with a home run off of Post 34 reliever, Brad McCool. With two outs Rock Hill scored the game winning run to defeat Post 34 by a score of 5-4. Hitters for Post 34 include: Tanner Ashcraft (1-2 with a single); Trey Williamon (1-3 with a Home Run); & Jared Pratt (2-4 with two singles).