The Mint Hill American Legion Post VFW 4059 senior baseball team dominated the game in the middle innings to take home a solid victory.  Mint Hill is now 4-2 this season with more games to be played this week.

Pineville took a 2-0 lead after the first three innings of baseball off starter Nick Melton the former Independence High School standout.  The visitors scored their runs on three hits including a walk, and a sacrifice fly scoring one run in the second and third innings.

However, in the bottom of the 4th inning Matthew Mangum had a lead off base hit, slugger Josh Swartz ripped a double into the gap putting runners on second and third base.  Christian Ezell hit a grounder to deep second base to score Mangum while advancing Swatrz to third base for the RBI.  Indy’s Corbin Berkovics hit a long sac fly to left for another RBI scoring Swartz.  Mitchell Cope then followed with a double, Noah Howie then smacked another double scoring Cope for the third run.  Ryan Mangum then followed with a single to give the home team a 4-2 advantage after four full innings.

In the 5th inning Bubba Comer who has excellent speed executed a nice bunt single to set the table.  Matt Mangum followed with an infield hit, then power hitter Josh Swartz followed with his second double one hop off the fence to clear the bases and pick up two more RBI’s.  After five innings VFW Post 4059 added to 2 more runs giving them a 6-2 lead.

Then we had about a 30 minute delay due to lightening in the area and rain, Jason Eason entered the game in relief of Melton to pitch the 6th inning for Mint Hill.  He hurled only four pitches to get three outs on two infield fly balls and a ground out.

In the bottom half of the 6th inning Bubba Comer beat out an infield hit on a good play by Pineville’s third basemen.  He then would steal second base, Matt Mangum worked a walk, and Mint Hill’s best hitter Josh Swartz smacked a hard line drive single to left to score the speedy Comer for an insurance run.  Mint Hill would add another run to give them a commanding 8-2 lead going into the 7th inning.  With two outs and runners on first and second on the next pitch a fly ball was lifted to Comer in center field to end the game.

Josh Swartz was the player of the game going 3-4, with two doubles and four RBI’s for Mint Hill who banged out 11 hits against Pineville pitching.