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Beavers capitalize on late-game error

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When the idea of possibly playing a series of simulated high school baseball and softball games came up, a baseball game between Beavercreek and Fairborn was played to see whether it was possible.

It worked, but Beavercreek rolled to a run-ruled exhibition simulated win.

Tuesday’s contest between the Battlin’ Beavers and the Skyhawks proved to be a lot more competitive and, were it not for a late-inning miscue, Fairborn appeared headed for a win.

Instead, Beavercreek capitalized with two unearned runs in the seventh inning, and Nick Brown’s game winning score in the eighth off a Grant Reeve single to left, to rally ‘Creek to a 3-2 win at cavernous Forbes Field, the former home of the National League’s Pittsburgh Pirates.

Statistically, Beavercreek’s pitching rotation is among the tops in the simulated area, but Fairborn surprised ‘Creek starter Kevin Bellamy by smacking three hits from the first four batters to take a quick 2-0 lead.

Jacob Moore got things going with a lead-off triple that rolled to the the wall some 460 feet away. By the time the Skyhawks outfielder chased down Moore’s shot and threw the ball back to the infield, the Beaver batter was perched on third.

Khalil Lettice then singled to left to drive in Moore, then Hunter Warner doubled to bring Lettice home with Fairborn’s second run.

Behind Andrew Trickett’s solid pitching, the Skyhawks held that 2-0 lead until the seventh inning. That’s when trouble struck the Skyhawks in the outfield.

With two outs and Beavercreek’s Nolan Frisk and Mike Oppenheimer on second and first base respectively, a Fairborn outfielder misplayed Bellamy’s deep fly ball to center. The ball bounded off the fielder’s glove and rolled out to the 457-foot mark along Forbes Field’s outfield wall. Frisk and Oppenheimer both scored, and Bellamy got to second base on the error. Trickett retired the side with an infield groundout, but the game was now tied at 2-2.

With one out and teammates Dylan Salyers and Brown on base in the eighth, Reeve hit his game winner.

Trickett was solid on the mound, giving up six hits on the day. Three of those hits came in the eighth, however.

Salyers was the only Beavercreek batter with multiple hits with two singles. Brown, Reeve, Frisk and Bellamy collected the others.

For Fairborn, the Skyhawks outhit the Beavers 10-6, with Lettice, Garison Secrest, Nate Fosnacht and Jacob Hobbs collecting two each.

NEXT GAME: Ohio Heritage Conference foes Cedarville and Greeneview will play next. The Indians are currently 1-3, while the Rams are 1-2 after a recent bye week. Xenia and Legacy Christian will close out week 5 of the nine-week simulated season.

By John Bombatch

For Greene County News

Reach John Bombatch at [email protected]