Senior starting pitcher Stanley McManus hurls a rocket off of the mound
Fairfield Central headed into to hostile territory, and dropped a close 5-3 game against regional opponent Chester on the Cyclone’s senior night. The contest was the Griffin’s first since the Spring Break Holiday
Chester built an early lead, scoring single runs in each of the first three innings. To lead off the home half of the first, Anthony McCullough tried to lay down a bunt for Chester, but he got a little more air under it than he wanted, but it handcuffed the Griffins first baseman and his late throw was errant, sending the speedy outfielder to second base.
McCullough reached third on a passed ball, but was still standing there with two outs. Senior Luke Blanchett took care of that, stroking a single that plated McCullough and gave Chester a 1-0 lead.
In the second, Luke Wright drew a walk, stole second and advanced to third on a passed ball. Jordan Price got him in with a sacrifice fly to boost Chester’s lead to 2-0.
McCullough was a catalyst again in the third, reaching base on an error and scoring on a J.D. Carter single to make it a 3-0 game.
Wright, a freshman, got the start on the mound for the Cyclones. Powell decided to go with him because he’d pitched so well in an earlier 19-2 Chester win over the Griffins.
Fairfield Central looked to have something going in the first with Trey Williams hitting a shot back up the middle, but Trent Johnson made a terrific diving stop to record the out. Wright got the Griffins in order (with two strikeouts) in the second and pitched around a hit batsman to avoid trouble in the third.
He hit another batter in the fourth but Johnson made another diving stab of a catch to wipe out a certain hit and keep the Griffins at bay. In fact, the visitors were hitless until the fifth when pinch-hitter Antonio Jackson came up with a solid single.
The next batter walked, and after a fly ball out Montavious Thompson got his team on the board with an RBI single. Stanley McManus brought another one in with a sacrifice fly and it was suddenly a 3-2 ball game.
Carter walked to start the sixth frame and stole second. Jake Stroud knocked him in, then scored on an error to put Chester up 5-2. Fairfield scored one unearned run with two out in the seventh, but Blanchett closed it out.
Fairfield will close out the season with three consecutive home games. They hosted Indian Land on Wednesday, then will host Newberry Thursday and finish off the season Monday with Eau Claire.
