Trojans fall to Pella in non-conference play

PELLA ? Offense took a backseat to pitching and defense Friday as Fairfield fell to Pella in non-conference baseball.

Pella starter Schyler Kane, who pitched all seven innings and struck out nine, held Fairfield to two hits and four walks in the 2-1 win.

?[Kane] threw the baseball very well tonight,? said Allison. ?He did a great job of mixing speeds and keeping us off balance.?

The Trojans scored in the first inning off Kane, as Corbin Harwood scored on an RBI groundout hit by Austin Gridley, before going scoreless the final six frames.

Trojan starter Joe Hietpas, who has a 1.67 ERA in 50 1/3 innings this season, went toe-to-toe with Kane for the first five innings. After allowing one run in the first as well, Hietpas kept the Little Dutch off the scoreboard over the next four frames and finished with eight punch outs.

?Joe did a good job of limiting damage early in the game,? Allison said. ?Pella had several opportunities to score runs, but we got mentally tough and closed the door.?

Pella scored the go-ahead run in the sixth off Fairfield?s Darrin Dimmitt, who allowed one hit and one walk in one inning of work.

Mason Ellis and Brent Buch each went 1 for 3. Harwood, Josh Dimmitt, Tyler Cooksey and Spencer Peterman drew one walk apiece.

Allison said Fairfield?s defense, which has been a problem area of late, impressed him Friday.

?We definitely made some strides defensively. We did have two errors but made several really tough plays tonight,? the coach said, adding, ?Buch and [Nik] Fitch turned a key double play early on to help Joe out of a jam.?

The Trojans (14-18-1, 8-8 SEC) kick off the final week of the regular season with an away game at Knoxville today.

Fairfield @ Pella

Fairfield ? 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 ? 1 2 2

Pella ? 1 0 0 0 0 1 X ? 2 5 1

FAIRFIELD ? Ellis 1-3; Buch 1-3; Gridley RBI; Harwood R

Pitching ? Hietpas 5 INN, R, ER, 4H, 8K, 3BB; D. Dimmitt (L) INN, R, ER, H, BB