WINNSBORO – The Fairfield Central baseball team fell 8-3 to Union County Monday, but used seven Ridge View errors to defeat the Blazers 8-5 on Tuesday.
Union got on the board in the top of the first after an error scored one run and Cade Goings singled to score two more.
Fairfield responded with one in the bottom of the first. With one out, Nygel Woodard was hit by a pitch. He stole second, but was out at third on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Blake Gambrell. Jonathan Warren singled to left to score Gambrell from first. A fielder’s choice ended the inning.
Union went up 4-1 in the top of the third with another Griffin error and stretched it to 6-1 in the fourth. They added one more in the top of the fifth to go up 7-1.
Graeme Douglas singled to lead off the bottom of the fifth. Landon Morgan hit into a fielder’s choice, but Douglas scored on a Union error. Fairfield trailed by five after five innings.
Gambrell hit a one-out single in the bottom of the sixth and advanced to second on a passed ball. Warren drew a walk to put runners on first and second. Both runners advanced on an error by the Union pitcher. Rylan Woodard grounded into a fielder’s choice to score Gambrell. Warren was out at third. A strikeout ended the inning.
Union doubled, then followed with two singles to start the seventh. With the bases loaded and only one out, a fielder’s choice plated Union’s final run of the game.
Douglas took the loss on the mound. He allowed six hits and six run (2 earned) in three innings. He struck out two and walked two. Kaden Diggs pitched four innings. He struck out seven, walked two, and allowed three hits and two runs.
Tuesday’s game against Ridge View was a battle at the plate.
With Rylan Woodard on the mound for Fairfield, Ridge View scored four runs in the top of the first.
Diggs and Douglas drew walks to lead off the bottom of the inning. Gambrell grounded out to third to score Diggs and put Douglas on third. Douglas scored on a passed ball, then Warren drew a walk.
Rylan Woodard’s sacrifice bunt advanced Nygel Woodard (in to run for Warren) to third. Tyon Belton drew a walk, then Nygel Woodard scored on an error by the Ridge View catcher, then Belton scored on a passed ball. Morgan and Nellums drew two more walks before a strikeout ended the inning with the teams tied at 4.
Ridge View went up by one in the top of the third. Fairfield tied the game at 5 when they capitalized on another Ridge View error in the bottom of the third.
Nygel Woodard was hit by a pitch to start the bottom of the fourth. He stole second and advanced to third on a double from Diggs. Douglas reached on an error that scored Woodard. Diggs advanced to third. Gambrell drew a walk to load the bases. Warren grounded into a double play, but Ridge View errors scored Douglas and Gambrell.
Fairfield held Ridge View off in the top of the fifth for an 8-5 final.
Rylan Woodard, Belton, and Gambrell combined for five innings of work. Woodard faced seven batters. He walked three and allowed two hits and four runs (3 earned). Belton pitched two innings. He struck out two, walked one, allowed two hits and one run. Gambrell faced seven batters. He struck out five and walked one.
The Griffins (8-1, 3-0 Region 4-2A) played host to Darlington and Wilson Wednesday, but scores were not available by The Voice’s press deadline.
Fairfield Central will resume Region 4-2A play Tuesday versus Eau Claire.
UC– 3-0-1-2-1-0-1 – 8, 9, 4
FC – 1-0-0-0-1-1-0 – 3, 5, 3
WP: Cade Goings
F – J Warren 2-2. Gambrell 1-2. R Woodard RBI. Douglas 1-2. Belton 1-3.
RV – 4-0-1-0-0 – 5, 4, 7
FC – 4-0-1-3-X – 8, 2, 0
WP: Gambrell
F –Diggs 1-2, 2B. R Woodard 1-2. Gambrell RBI.
