A season that began with six consecutive wins ended with a trio of losses for American Legion Richland Post 6 as they were eliminated from the American Legion post season Saturday, July 23. They lost to Greenville Post 3 by the final count of 20–7. Greenville advanced to this week’s American Legion Championship series in Greenwood.

Irmo/Columbia Post 174 will represent the Columbia area as the tournament continues.

“We started off the season really well but went through a little lull with some banged up players,” said Head Coach Ray Derrick. He completed his first year with Post 6 with a record of 15–8. “Toward the end we started to play some good ball, but when you lose your number one pitcher that kind of hurts.”

Pitcher Ben Halligan built a record of 4–0 before tendonitis affected his pitching shoulder. The highly regarded Winthrop University recruit had to sit out the remainder of the campaign.

After topping Rock Hill Post 34 in three straight games to open the playoffs, Post 6 cranked things up in round two with a 9–6 opening victory over Greenville. Two consecutive one run losses led to Saturday’s final battle.

Post 6 opened with a five run first inning that began when Spencer Derrick singled. Will Lewis took first base on an error that posted Derrick to second. That was followed by a string of hits from Chaz Ardis, a double by Matt Garrick, and consecutive singles by Chuck Cobb, Mo Holler, and Russell Joye.

Greenville took two innings before their bats began to sizzle on the sweltering night at Heathwood Hall. In the third, Andre Runion’s homerun over the left field wall drove home base runners Rand Baughman and Hampton Gibbs. John Campbell also nailed a four–bagger that scored Ricky Johnson.

Greenville’s run–scoring juggernaut couldn’t be stopped. Five runs in the ninth put in the final nail.

Four members of the Post 6 team: Spencer Derrick, Mike Regan, Matt Garrick, and leading pitcher Chachere Freeman (5–0) have completed Legion baseball playing eligibility.

“They’ll be hard to replace,” Derrick added. Despite their losses, Derrick is anything but discouraged.

Looking to a good group returning for both his Hammond School team and those who will be back for Richland in 2006. “We have good young talent coming up. I think we’ll be OK at Hammond and at Post 6. Hopefully other kids will see how well we did and see Legion baseball just as good as any other program.”

Derrick’s record, coupled with his coaching mark in his first year at Hammond, is 29–15–1

(.639 %).