The Manning-Santee Post 68 Senior Legion baseball team split its last two games, using a seven-run third inning to defeat the Beaufort Ospreys 19U before falling to Post 21 American Legion Summerville on the road.
Post 68 opened the stretch with a 12-5 victory over Beaufort on June 25 at Laurence Manning Academy.
Trailing 3-1 in the third inning, Manning-Santee erupted for seven runs to seize control of the game. Rory Carter started the rally with an RBI double before Charlie Caulder, Bryson Pepper and Connor Morris each added RBI singles. Grainger Powell drew a bases-loaded walk, and Blandyn Miller capped the inning with a two-run single.
The bottom of the lineup played a key role in the victory, as Sloan Harper, Pepper and Morris combined for four of Post 68's eight hits while scoring two runs and driving in two more.
Miller and Morris each finished with two hits, while Miller, Pepper, Caulder and Carter drove in two runs apiece.
Ethan Jones earned the win after allowing three runs over three innings, while Miller dominated in relief, tossing two hitless innings with four strikeouts.
Post 68 also showed patience at the plate, drawing 12 walks. Miller, Powell, Joshua Niswonger and Caulder each reached twice on free passes.
The momentum did not carry over Monday as Post 68 dropped an 11-2 decision to Post 21 American Legion Summerville at Summerville High School.
After being held scoreless through four innings, Post 68 got on the board in the fifth when Harper launched a two-run home run to right field. The blast accounted for both of the team's runs.
Rory Carter led the offense with two hits in three at-bats, while Harper drove in both runs from the No. 9 spot in the batting order.
Jaxon Baker took the loss after allowing seven runs over 4 1/3 innings. Post 68 played error-free defense, with Riley Jordan leading the team with eight defensive chances.
Summerville broke the game open with a five-run fifth inning, highlighted by Carter Guilotti's three-run home run.
The split leaves Manning-Santee Post 68 looking to bounce back as the team returns home to host Post 21 in the second game of the series.
