USC Sumter plates 48 runs in series win at USC Union, sets up big Region 10 weekend vs. Gaston College

Freshman Ryan Piekutoski broke the all-time USC Sumter homerun record with his 16th of the season, So. Carew Bates hit four HRs, had 15 RBIs and the Fire Ant offense pounded out 40 hits and 9 total homeruns leading USC Sumter to the Region 10 series victory vs USC Union last weekend. Run-rule wins in game one (18-9) and game three (22-13) moves the Fire Ants to 11-6 overall in Region 10 play and now 1.5 games back of FDTC and three games back of 1st place Gaston College, setting up a big weekend series against the Rhinos. 

Currently, the Fire Ants have multiple players top 5 in Region 10 for individual statistics: Ryan Piekutoski is leading the league in HRs (16) and 2nd in RBIs (58) and batting average (.495). Carew Bates is tied for 3rd in HRs (12), Jasean Perry is 4th in batting avg. (.442) and Hudson Moss is 4th overall in stolen bases (25). On the mound, Jeb Britt is 2nd in strikeouts (40) and 4th in wins (5), while Campbell Whitener is 1st in saves (3). 

GAME ONE -

USC Sumter sent 16 batters to the plate and scored 11 runs in the 3rd inning, which set the table for a scorching hot Fire Ant offense all weekend vs. USC Union. Carew Bates highlighted the 11-run 3rd with a 3-run HR in his 1st at-bat, followed by a 2-run single to cap the double-digit run inning. Jasean Perry followed next inning with a grand slam to make the score 17-7 and Carson Todd came on out of the bullpen to close out the final 4 innings on the mound to secure the 18-9 game one win. Perry and Bates lead the USC Sumter offense both with two hits apiece, two HRs and 11 RBIs combined. Six Fire Ants ended with multi-hit games with Ryan Piekutoski and Jaxon Jean both with two doubles each. 

GAME TWO -

Carew Bates went 4 for 5 with two HRs and six RBIs, including the game-tying 2-run shot in the 8th, but the Bantams bases loaded single in the 9th walks off the game two 8-7 win for USC Union. After the Bantams took the early 6 run lead after two innings, Ty Butler pitched 4 13 quality innings in relief and Bates launched his 1st homerun of the game, a sixth inning grand slam to make it a 7-5 game. Following a scoreless seventh inning, Bates hit his 2nd homerun in as many at-bats in the top of the 8th to tie the game 7-7. 

GAME THREE 

The USC Sumter offense capped a record offensive weekend hitting five homeruns, 16 runs over the final three innings to secure the game three win and series victory over the Bantams 22-13. Ryan Piekutoski hit his 15th and 16th HRs on the season to break the all-time single season HR record in Fire Ant baseball history. Carew Bates hit his 4th HR of the weekend and Jasean Perry went 5-7 with his 2nd HR of the series, a triple and 4 RBIs highlighting the series finale offensive performance. 

Fire Ant baseball team is now 23-11 overall, 11-6 in Region 10. Game One of the weekend series with Gaston College will be at 1:00pm Friday (DH) at Riley Park.