Story and Photos
by Mike Maddock

Editor's note: Lexington Post 7 was forced to forfeit the June 5 game against Richland Post 6 due to an insufficient number of players. The teams played a scrimmage game. Richland Post 6 was awarded the victory.

Last year, the Richland Post 6 Pathfinders outscored opponents all the way to a League Eight title and a trip to the S.C. American Legion Baseball 2006 State Tournament in Sumter. This year's squad could be a little different...and better.

Head Coach Ray Derrick says, "This year we've got a lot more depth at pitching than what we've had in the past few years. I think we're going to be pretty good."

Derrick has reason to be optimistic. While last year's stars Will Lewis, Todd Stoudenmire, and Charles Cobb are not with the team, Derrick has picked up a starting pitching rotation that would make some Division 1 college coaches jealous.

Former Dreher stand out and last year's ace, Robbie Wilcox, rejoins Post 6 fresh from the NCAA baseball tournament where he played in the Round Rock Regional in Texas for Brown University.

Richard Mounce takes a home run swing. This was the first of two home runs on his first two at bats in the scrimmage against Lexington. Wilcox is joined by Logan Munson who led the A.C. Flora Falcons to the 2007 Class 3A State Title with a 10- 0 record and a 1.63 ERA. Munson will play for the North Carolina Tar Heels next year.

Blythewood Bengal two- sport star Richard Mounce completes the starting rotation. Mounce led the Bengals to the Class 3A state title as a quarterback for the football team, and helped the baseball team to a 12- 2 region record and a playoff appearance. He has committed to play baseball for the Clemson Tigers.

Derrick gets an added bonus with his two new pitchers as well.

"Not only can they (Munson and Mounce) pitch, but they can swing the bat too."

Munson hit 0.398 for the Falcons with 31 RBI. Mounce hit two home runs in his first two at bats during a scrimmage against Lexington June 5.

Logan Munson joins Richland Post 6 fresh from a state title at A.C. Flora High School. He will play for the North Carolina Tar Heels next year. Still Derrick said, "I don't know if we've got as much power as we've had in the past, but I think we've got a chance to run a little bit better. We'll score some runs."

The addition of another A.C. Flora stand- out should help that. Kyle Strasburger played in the infield for the Falcons and batted 0.375. He also had four stolen bases.

Greg Dunston is another new face on the Richland Post 6 roster. Dunston was the lone senior on a Ben Lippen Falcon squad that made it all the way to the SCISA state baseball tournament finals. Dunston also played quarterback on the Falcon football team. Derrick figures to use him as a middle relief pitcher and infielder.

Dunston is joined by fellow SCISA All- State performer, Punky DaSilva. DaSilva led the Hammond Skyhawks to the SCISA Class 3A state title in football as a quarterback and was a stand- out pitcher and infielder for the Skyhawk baseball team. Fellow Skyhawk Alston James also joins the Post 6 roster this year. DaSilva and James join Skyhawk Chistopher Daniels who played on last year's League Eight title team.

Out and knocked out. Richland center fielder Richard Mounce threw a rocket to catcher Kirk Sims allowing Sims to brace himself for the collision at home plate with a Lexington runner tagging from third. The runner was tagged out and lay on the ground for a few minutes to recover from the tag. The Dreher Blue Devils are once again well represented on this year's Post 6 team. They return infielder Justin Strauss, catcher Kirk Sims, and pitcher/outfielder Doug Allen. All were prominent on last year's Post 6 squad.

Lower Richland's Dalton Ardis and Justin Moody also return from last year's team.

The mixture of veterans and outstanding newcomers should provide for another successful season for the Pathfinders. As Derrick says, "I think it's going to be a pretty good year, if coaching don't mess it up."

Richland Post 6 head coach Ray Derrick is excited about his team's prospects this year.