Spartanburg blanks Post 109

Ledger photo by LARRY HILLIARD Post 109's John Michaels trots safely into third base after tripling off the wall against Spartanburg ace David Haselden. Michaels had the only two hits Post 109 could muster in a 4-0 loss Wednesday. David Haselden and Post 28 delivered a message on Wednesday - they'll be hard to beat.

Baffling the Post 109 hitters with late movement and sharp curves, Haselden allowed just two hits and struck out eight over eight innings as Spartanburg beat homestanding Post 109, 4-0, in a matchup of the top two teams from last season.

Haselden, the Spartanburg High product who missed most of the season with a injury, didn't walk a batter.

Gaffney coach Jeff Osment said his batters weren't patient against the savvy pitcher.

"We definitely didn't have any discipline," Osment said. "We weren't selective. We didn't do a good job offensively. We had a game plan against him but we didn't follow it.

"This just shows that we have to be more focused and have to execute better."

Spartanburg executed just fine thank you. They manufactured a run in the fourth on a couple of sacrifice flies.

They added another solo run in the ninth.

Bobby Jackson took the loss for Post 109. But Osment said Jackson did a solid job on the mound.

"Bobby threw the ball well," he said. "I thought he threw as well as he had in a while. He definitely pitched well enough to win."

John Michaels had the only hits for Post 109. He lashed a triple in the third inning that went to the wall. But he didn't score as Haselden got a strikeout to end the threat.

Spartanburg would score all the runs Haselden would need in the first inning when the first four batters reached base.

After a leadoff single, a fielding miscue put runners on first and second. Jackson then walked the bases loaded and issued a free pass to first baseman Ross Hanna to force home a run.

Both runs were unearned.

"They did what they were supposed to," Osment said. "They executed and we didn't."

Spartanburg improves to 3-0, while Gaffney falls to 2-1 in league play.

The teams will renew their rivalry at Duncan Park on Monday. Osment said he expects to see Haselden again.

"We just have to get ready to play," he said.