Fairfield baseball walks off Washington

FAIRFIELD - Fairfield senior Connor Lyons scampered 90 feet to third, and then 90 feet home on a pair of Washington errors in Game 2 of Thursday night’s Southeast Conference doubleheader, and when his foot hit home plate, the Trojans secured a big two-game sweep.

After dominating Game 1, 9-1, the Fairfield baseball team pulled out a one-run thriller against the visiting Demons, knocking Washington off 3-2.

The Demons had come back from down 2-1 to tie the game in the sixth when Lucas Kroll knocked in Ethan Patterson to knot the game up at 2-2, but Washington couldn’t add on in the seventh, and that left the door open for the Trojans.

Lyons reached base with a one one walk, and stood on second after a Nate Woodburn single. With Chandler Pumphrey at the plate, a pitch hit the dirt and Lyons took off for third.

The Trojan senior reached third safely, and an overthrow sent the ball into left field. Lyons scampered home ahead of the throw to end game.

“ If the left fielder picks that thing clean, it would have been bang-bang,” said head Fairfield head coach Josh Allison. “But that's the chance you take. He's a smart baseball player, and I'm glad that he was on the bases at that point.”

It was Fairfield’s third win in a row. The Trojans have won four of their last five games.

“That's all about our team spirit. We come together as a team, and we fight,” said Lyons. “Our confidence is definitely sky high.”

Cason Miller went 2-for-4 with a double for the Trojans. Chandler Pumphrey and Brad Woodburn each had an RBI, and Lyons scored two runs.

Tate Allen threw a complete game, giving up just four hits and striking out 10 batters.

Allen was 2-for-2 at the plate in Fairfield’s Game 1 win. Woodburn was 1-for-4 with a bases-clearing double. Dylan Hunter had two RBIs, and Evan Haines, Miller and Lyons knocked in one apiece.

Nate Smithburg picked up the win on the mound in Game 1, throwing five shutout innings. He struck out six batters. Pumphrey closed out the last two innings, giving up just one earned run.

It was Washington’s fourth loss in a row, and the Demons picked up a fifth with a 4-2 defeat against West Branch on Friday. Three of those losses have been by two runs or less.

“We just need to believe in ourselves,” said Washington head coach Tyler Rausch. “We're right there. We're just getting in our own way mentally.”

In Game 1, Ethan Zieglowsky went 1-for 3 with a double and an RBI to lead the way for the Demons. Kroll was 1-for-3 with a double, and Zeke Slagel was tagged with the loss on the mound.

In Game 2, Kroll was 1-for-2 with a double and two RBIs. Patterson went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases and two runs scored. Isaac Vetter gave up two earned runs over 6.1 innings on the mound.

Fairfield (8-7, 4-3) will play at Mt. Pleasant (4-8, 3-5) on Monday. Washington (2-9, 1-7) will host Keokuk (7-6, 3-5).