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Washington Evening Journal
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Raiders look to grow from close losses
Trojans’ 3-run sixth proves to be difference in 5-3 victory
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
WILLIAMSBURG — “We’re right there.”
That is what Williamsburg baseball senior Nile Sinn said following a 5-3 loss to Fairfield Tuesday.
After Williamsburg took a 3-2 lead in the fifth, Fairfield scored three runs in the sixth inning. That ended up being the deciding factor in a close game throughout.
“We’ve just got to make a few more plays out there,” Sinn said. “We’ve been right there in a lot of games.”
Five of the Raiders’ seven losses this season have been within a striking distance of three or fewer runs.
A few Williamsburg miscues prolonged the top of the sixth, which the Trojans capitalized on to take the lead.
“We were not very disciplined tonight in certain situations,” Williamsburg coach Nathan King said. “We just got to know situations better.”
Fairfield struck first with a two-RBI double from Dayson Workman in the second.
Henry Simmons responded in the bottom of the inning, with a solo home run over the left field fence.
The Raiders tied it 2-2 in the third, as the Trojans made several errors.
Bryson Wetjen reached base off an error, and scored as teammate Bowen Stratton worked out of a pickle between first and second base.
The Raiders had more opportunities to score, but Carson Elmore got out of the inning with no more damage.
“We had opportunities with runners on base, but couldn’t get the big hit,” King said.
A Micah Lang sacrifice fly to right field gave the Raiders the lead in the fifth inning.
After the Trojans three-run sixth inning, the Raiders had runners on first and second in the seventh with no outs.
Fairfield’s Aiden Westercamp then forced two fly-outs and a strikeout to end the game.
“We’re one complete game away from being there,” said Sinn. “That’s what we got to keep preaching.”
Sinn had one single in the game and led the Raiders in hits going into the game.
“My big thing is I want to start spraying gaps again,” Sinn said of his hitting. “Been hitting the ball all right, but shooting gaps is my thing, hitting doubles and getting more RBIs.”
The WaMaC is a grind again this season, as the Raiders will be back in conference play Thursday, hosting West Delaware.
“We’ve seen a lot of good things in practice,” King said. “We just got to convert it into game situations and getting them to buy into it. That’s our next step.”
