SUMTER, S.C. — Jacksonville’s American Legion baseball team managed just four hits as Post 265 dropped an 8-0 decision to Sumter Post 15 on Friday night in the Palmetto Invitational Tournament at Riley Park.
Post 265 will play Texarkana Ark., today at 10 a.m. before wrapping up tournament play at 1 p.m. against Ft. Pierce, Fla. All games are at Riley Park.
Christian Kercado went 2-for-3 and Andrew Hartness and Zach Scalzo each had a hit against Sumter for Jacksonville (7-13). Hartness’ hit led off the game while Scalzo’s hit also came in a first inning that saw Post 265 load the bases but not be able to score a run. Hartness is now batting .412.
Kercado singled in the second and fourth innings.
Sumter’s Gordon Owens earned the win as he pitched six innings, allowed four hits and struck out six.
Post 15 led 1-0 before scoring three runs in the bottom of the third inning. Will Smith hit a home run to lead off the inning and River Soles had an RBI single. Soles later scored on a hit to make it 4-0. Sumter went up 5-0 in the fifth on a Jacksonville error.
Smith was 2-for-3 while Soles and Ian McCaffrey each added two hits for Sumter.
Jacksonville000 000 0— 0 4 1
Sumter 103 022 x— 811 1
WP—Owens 6 IP 4 H, 0 R, 6 K, 2 BB. LP—Moran (0-5) 3 1/3 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 K, 5 BB. LEADING HITTERS—J: Kercado 2-3; Hartness 1-4; Scalzo 1-2. S: Smith 2-3, 2 runs, RBI; Soles 2-4, 2 runs, RBI; McCaffrey 2-2. RECORDS —J: 7-13, vs. Texarkana, Ark., today at 10 a.m. S: NA.