Fairfield?s offense stalls in doubleheader

CHARITON ? Fairfield baseball surrendered just one run in two games ? 16 innings ? but had no wins to show for it following Wednesday?s doubleheader in Chariton.

The host Chargers (6-0-1) prevailed 1-0 in the opening game, and the two teams tied 0-all after nine innings in the second game. The nightcap ended with the tie due to a poorly lit field.

?We tried a lot of things to jumpstart the offense, but nothing really worked,? said Fairfield head coach Josh Allison. ?Our pitchers tonight threw really well. Joe [Hietpas] Ryan [Gaumer] and Spencer [Peterman] all did a great job of pumping strikes in the zone, working quickly and in a good rhythm.?

Altogether, the three Trojan pitchers allowed zero earned runs in the two games. Hietpas pitched the first five innings in game one, Gaumer pitched eight innings in game two and Peterman closed out both games in relief.

Hietpas was the unlucky losing pitcher in the opening game and was tagged with one run ? zero earned ? off three hits and two walks. The Fairfield sophomore fanned four batters.

The lone run of the night off Hietpas came in the bottom of the fifth when Tyler Folkerts, who reached base on a throwing error, scored on a single by Austin Peterson. The Trojans had no hits against opposing starter Charlie Palmer, though Austin Deao walked twice, and seniors Brent Buch and Corbin Harwood also reached base via the walk.

The Trojans? struggles from the plate continued into the nightcap. Fairfield finally broke through in the hit column when Gaumer singled to begin the top of the third inning, but hits were sporadic the rest of the game.

Harwood and Josh Dimmitt both went 1 for 3 from the plate, and Mason Ellis was 1 for 1. Peterman finished with a pair of walks.

Gaumer went toe-to-toe with Chariton?s Brett Braida and tossed eight innings of three-hit ball while punching out 10 batters.

As daylight dwindled during the ninth inning, Peterman again pitched an effective inning of relief to ensure the tie. The junior made quick work of the Charger batters with no hits or walks allowed and two strikeouts.

The Trojans (1-5-1) return home to face Pella Christian tonight.

Fairfield @ Chariton (Game 1)

FAIRFIELD ? 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ? 0 0 2

CHARITON ? 0 0 0 0 1 0 X ? 1 3 1

FAIRFIELD ? Buch BB, Harwood BB, Deao 2BB

Pitching ? Hietpas (L), 5 INN, 3H, 1R, 0ER, 4K, 2BB; Peterman 1 INN, 0R, 1K, 1BB

Fairfield @ Chariton (Game 2)

FAIRFIELD ? 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ? 0 4 3

CHARITON ? 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ? 0 3 2

FAIRFIELD ? Harwood 1-3; J. Dimmitt 1-3; Ellis 1-1; Gaumer 1-4

Pitching ? Gaumer 8 INN, 3H, 0R, 10K, 3BB; Peterman 1 INN, 0H, 0R, 2K, 0BB