?Tale of two games? for Trojans at Ft. Madison

FORT MADISON ? Wins and losses don?t always tell the whole story, and two losses to Mount Pleasant late last week had Fairfield head coach Josh Allison feeling better than Monday?s split at Fort Madison.

The Trojans started strong to win the opener by a score of 10-5 before that score was flipped and Fort Madison (4-13, 2-4 SEC) took a 10-5 victory in the nightcap.

?In the first game, we played with enthusiasm, hustle, intensity. Then in game two, we were just there,? Allison said. ?Unfortunately, I think we took a step backwards from the progress we had made last week.?

The two teams split the season series with two wins apiece, and Fairfield?s Southeast Conference record now stands at 4-6.

The Trojans? 12 hits in the opener turned into just five in game two, but to Jake Dunbar it didn?t matter. Dunbar hit for the cycle across the two games including a single on the second pitch of the night to get the Fairfield ball rolling. Two batters later, Corbin Harwood sent the first pitch he saw over the fence to score Dunbar, Ryan Brewington and himself to make it an early 3-0 game.

Dunbar?s third-inning, two-run double scored Cody Moran and Brandon Ford to put the Trojans up 8-3 and give starting pitcher Willie Ghent more than enough breathing room. Ghent weathered a few Bloodhound storms and went the distance for the Trojans with a complete game that featured 10 strikeouts to earn the win.

?There were a few rough patches, but Willie didn?t let that affect his whole game, and he really came back to finish strong,? Allison said.

In game two, Dunbar tripled to lead off the game and scored on Harwood?s sac fly, but Fairfield scratched out just four hits the rest of the way, and it was Fort Madison that put runs up early. Eric Kent?s first inning double plated two runs and put the Bloodhounds up 3-1 with more to come.

Cody Moran singled and Dunbar smashed a two-run homer to start a big third inning for Fairfield capped by Josh Dimmitt?s RBI groundout, but once again, Fort Madison had an answer. The Bloodhounds took their turn in the bottom half of the inning, knocked out Trojan starter Darran Ritchie and took a lead they would never give up.

A bases loaded walk made the score 7-5 and wrapped up Ritchie?s night after 2 2/3 innings. Derek Fishel entered to strike out Clint Lingenfelter with the bases still juiced and end the inning, but the damage had been done. Collin Eaves took to the hill for the Bloodhounds in the fourth, allowed just one hit the final four innings and, most importantly, no more Trojan runs. Eaves also enjoyed three insurance runs from his offense in the fifth.

Brandon Veirs picked up that lone hit against Eaves and finished the game 2-2 from the dish.

Fairfield will now get two days off before more Southeast Conference action Thursday night at home vs. Keokuk.