FAKE FAIRBORN — A pair of two-run innings was all Fairborn needed to win its simulated season debut Friday, April 10 over visiting Cedarville, 4-2, at Wright State University’s Nischwitz Stadium.
Cedarville actually out-hit the Skyhawks 11 hits to eight in the not-so-chilly contest held on the writer’s dining room table. The Indians scored first with one run in the second, when C.J. Pahl doubled to right field to score Adam Wood from second base.
Fairborn ultimately grabbed the lead for good an inning later.
The Skyhawks Hunter Warner singled to left, then motored around to score on Garison Secrest’s double to left. Secrest then advanced to third on a single by Jared Bodekor, who trotted home on a sacrifice fly to left field from teammate Nate Fosnacht for a 2-1 lead.
Fairborn extended its lead to 4-1 with two more scores in the fifth.
Warner led off the inning with a double to left, moved to third on a Jacob Hobbs walk that loaded the bases, then Warner scored on the only error of the game — a wild infield throw to first. Bodekor then scored the final Skyhawks run on a bases-loaded walk by Jacob Moore.
Cedarville was able to pull a bit closer in the seventh inning, when Caden McKinion scored from second base on Caleb McKinion’s RBi single.
Caleb McKinion, by the way, was named the area’s 2019 baseball hitting champion. (We’ll somehow get you your $50-dollar pizza gift card, we promise. We haven’t forgotten.— ED.)
The Indians had the tying run at first and the go-ahead run perched at the plate in the ninth inning, but Skyhawks reliever Isaac Shuttleworth struck out the last batter to seal the win.
UNBEATEN BELLBROOK: We can guarantee that Bellbrook’s baseball team will remain two weeks from now. That’s because next week will feature a series of high school simulation softball games, and the Golden Eagles have a bye week next.
SOFTBALL SIMULATIONS SOON: Coincidentally, Bellbrook’s girls softball team (1-0) has a bye next week. (0-1) Beavercreek takes on Greeneview (1-0) in next week’s opening softball contest, followed by Cedarville (0-1) against Xenia (1-0), Fairborn (0-1) battling Yellow Springs (1-0), and Carroll (0-1) taking on Legacy Christian in the Knights’ first varsity simulated softball game of any kind in two years.
