Lions’ 3-run 4th inning leads to win over LC Mustangs
Fairfield's Gabe Fouch had a complete game against LCHS on Tuesday, finishing with 11 strikeouts. (Stephen Forsha/The Highland County Press)
LEESBURG — Though it was the Lynchburg-Clay Mustangs who struck first, it was a three-run fourth inning that led to the Fairfield Lions gaining a lead they didn’t relinquish, as they defeated the visiting Mustangs 3-2 in their Southern Hills Athletic Conference showdown Tuesday night.
The game was more than the two innings where the Mustangs scored their run and the aforementioned fourth inning of FHS, as both pitchers battled each other on the mound with Fairfield’s Gabe Fouch standing strong with a complete-game effort.
Fouch ended the game with seven innings pitched, where he allowed two runs (one earned) on two hits and two walks. The junior hurler struck out 11 batters, throwing 103 pitches, 68 for strikes, all while facing 27 batters.
“Any time you get into SHAC play anymore, there is nothing you can take for granted, and that’s what I told these guys,” Fairfield had coach Kyle Zimmerman said. “Everybody is coming after us (FHS is the defending Division I SHAC champion), and we have to continue to work hard, but we have to get away from these slow starts. That’s two nights in a row we’ve been able to rebound and make things happen.
“As for Gabe Fouch, he was also big at the plate for us, and he also had 11 strikeouts. It was cold when the game started, and he didn’t have quite the command he usually has in the first couple innings, but once he settled in, he was on … no doubt about it.”
Fouch’s counterpart for Lynchburg-Clay, Cole Wells, pitched six innings, where he allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits and two walks. Wells finished the game with eight strikeouts, totaling 72 pitches (49 for strikes), as he faced 23 batters in the loss.
“For us, it came down to execution,” Lynchburg-Clay he’d coach Vince Pitzer said. “We had errors that hurt us, and for this team, as young as we are, we have to just keep building. Once we start making the little plays and have better execution, by the middle of the season we’ll be a better ball club.”
The Mustangs struck first with a run in the top of the first as Josiah Burns walked, stole second, and scored a run off a double to centerfield by Cole Wells.
LCHS took a two-run lead as Isaac Eyre walked, stole second base, went to third on a groundout by Asher Faust and scored a run on a passed ball with two outs.
The Lions scored all three of their runs in the bottom of the fourth with Dow Moon taking first base on an infield error and advancing to second off a single by Zane Matthews. Moon scored on an infield error, as Matthews reached third base on same sequence of events.
Fouch doubled to centerfield to score Matthews for a 2-2 score. Fouch scored the go-ahead run as he stole third base and then raced home on a sacrifice fly to centerfield by Cade Miller for the 3-2 score.
The Lions totaled three hits in the win, with Matthews finishing 1-for-3 with one run and Fouch going 1-for-2 (double) with one run, one RBI, one walk and a steal. Landry Hattan was 1-for-2 in the win.
“Gabe had the big hit for us, and we were smart on the bases, especially for the second game of the year,” Zimmerman said. “They responded, and we got a win against a very well-coached and very nice Lynchburg-Clay team.
“At the end of the day, we’ve faced two quality opponents and we are 2-0, so I’m happy there, but we can’t keep starting off slow. We have to win one before we win the next one, and that’s how we think. We have to take it one game at a time and try to focus and keep moving forward.”
For the Mustangs, they had two hits, with Burns finishing 1-for-2 (double) with one run, a walk and a steal. Wells went 1-for-3 (double) with one RBI. Eyre walked once and had a steal.
“We battled, and that’s what we need to see,” Pitzer said. “Hats off to Fairfield, they are a good team, and they will be a tough team, especially when their pitching is on.”
Next for the Lions is a non-conference game on Wednesday, March 29 on the road at Huntington with a 5 p.m. start.
The Mustangs play again March 30 against Fayetteville at home at 5 p.m.