Photos by Mike Maddock Richland Post 6 shortstop Duy Phan attempts to get an unassisted double play against Gaffney. Gaffney Post 109 took a 2–0 lead in the American Legion first round playoff best of five series Tuesday night, July 6, with a 14–12 win over the Richland Post 6 Pathfinders. For Post 6 coach Ray Derrick, his team’s troubles can be summed up in one word, defense.

“We didn’t play defense.”

Despite committing four errors, Post 6’s offense tried to pick up the slack. Twice in the game, the Pathfinders found themselves down by at least three runs, but fought back each time. The first came in the bottom of the fifth inning with Post 109 leading 6–3. A double by Jay Talbot scored two runs. Later in the inning, Marshall Baker brought in the tying run with a bunt single.

The Pathfinders found themselves on the wrong end of a wide margin again in the eighth inning. Down 14–7, they once again fought back. A leadoff home run by Kyle Towles, followed by another home run from Conner Lewis two batters later, quickly cut the deficit to five runs. An RBI sacrifice fly by Chandler Knox made it a 14–10 game.

Don Jeter pitches for Post 6 against Gaffney. After shutting down Post 109 in the top of the ninth, Post 6 quickly shrunk the lead to 14–12 with an RBI single from Duy Phan and an RBI sacrifice fly by Joseph Robertson as the winning run came to the plate in Talbot. However, Gaffney pitcher Kaleb Earks was able to get Talbot to strike out to preserve the win for Post 109.

“We came back and we kept fighting back. We’re putting the ball in play and making some things happen. We have to start playing defense, and we’ll be ok,” Derrick said.