Post 1 eyes state tournament title

FLORENCE — Comeback kids? No need for that title this year.

The seemingly impossible late-inning rallies that defined Florence Post 1’s 2008 season were replaced this year by dominant performances and lopsided scores.

Comebacks are rarely required when a team averages 10.5 runs a game.

With a 25-3 mark and a 20-game winning streak in tow, Florence enters today’s American Legion state tournament in Spartanburg as the lower state’s top seed and as a solid contender for a state title
. “It’s exciting and it’s a great accomplishment for our guys,” Post 1 coach Derick Urquhart said. “This is our fifth straight year going to state and this is this first time since I’ve been here that we’re heading in as the top seed in the lower state.”

But all that is in the past now, Urquhart added.

“We know we have a target on our backs now, and we know that we have to come out and play our best baseball right from game one if we want to make a run,” Urquhart said.

It’s hard to imagine Post 1 playing any better than it has over the last month and a half. Florence is unbeaten since going 1-2 at the N.C./S.C. Legion Challenge in mid-June. During that span, Post 1’s team batting average rose from .260 to .370.

“We’ve got nine or 10 guys that play college ball, and I know there are a few that were red-shirted and didn’t see much live pitching,” Cody Ritch said. “I think it was just guys getting used to live pitching again and working on things in practice.

“I remember it all kind of clicking in one game against Lake City. We started slow and then finished with 12 or 13 hits. We’ve been in a groove since then.”

Ritch was one of the players who turned things around in a big way. The former West Florence standout raised his average to .400 and led the team with 11 home runs and 36 RBI.

Florence set a team record with 43 home runs this year, with the majority coming from Ritch, Tyler Boyd (7) and Charlie Abbott (8). With table-setters Keith Branco, Michael Wilson and Chandler Smetana all having an on-base percentage of .500 or higher, Post 1’s potent lineup has scored 284 runs.

“We knew entering the season we had guys with power,” Ritch said. “I think it’s just been a combination of bat speed and guys laying off pitches at the plate. We’ve been more selective this year and haven’t struck out as much.

“We’ve got guys at the top of the lineup and at the bottom who’ve had big games. Everyone knows what their role is, and we feel like even if you put nine bench guys on the field, we can still win ballgames.”

While the offense was slow to start, pitching has been a strength all season for Post 1. Florence’s top three starters (Spencer Jordan, Abbott, Robbie Brown) combined for a 21-2 record with a 2.57 earned run average.

The bullpen has been equally brilliant as Post 1’s team ERA dropped from more than 6.00 last season to 3.24 this year.

“All season, our pitchers have been able to throw strikes and locate pitches,” Jordan said. “We’ve gone after guys and have always had a lot of confidence on the mound.”

Jordan has been the ace of the staff, posting a 1.80 ERA and 66 strikeouts. He’ll be the starter in tonight’s 7:30 p.m. game against Spartanburg.

“I don’t try to change my approach too much,” Jordan said. “I just want to throw strikes and let my defense take care of the rest. It helps to have a group like we do backing you up every outing.”

Florence’s defense improved on last year’s 60-plus-error mark, cutting the total nearly in half to 39.

“It’s very rare to have all three facets of the game working well at the same time for so long,” Urquhart said. “But this team gelled together very quickly from the start, and they feel like they’ve got something special going.”