FC BASEBALL: Flyers bounce back with road win over Trojans

GREENWICH — The St. Paul baseball team shook off its first loss in the Firelands Conference on Tuesday by winning the return game against host South Central by a 4-3 score on Wednesday. With the win, the Flyers improved to 17-5 overall and 10-1 in the FC. Plymouth (11-5, 9-1) is tied with St. Paul in the loss column, and the two teams are scheduled to play Monday and Tuesday in Plymouth and Norwalk in two games that will decide the conference championship. South Central, which topped the Flyers by a 10-4 score on Tuesday in Norwalk, fell to 10-9 overall and 8-4 in the FC. "Really happy to come over here and get a win," St. Paul coach Aaron Fries said. "South Central is playing really well and we knew it would take a good effort to escape with a victory. I wanted to get out early offensively with my ace on the mound, and we were able to do that." The Flyers scored a single run in each of the first three innings off South Central starter Shane Vanderpool to take a 3-0 lead. Starting pitcher Scotty Adelman led off the game with a walk, stole second and third, then scored on an RBI groundout by Eli Fisher. In the second inning, Thomas Bocock was hit by a pitch and stole second, and was sacrifice bunted to third by Tyler Perkins. Bocock then scored on a wild pitch for a 2-0 lead. In the third, Bocock hit a two-out double, stole third, then scored on a line drive base hit by Kaden Maxwell. The Trojans got two runs back in the bottom of the fifth to get back in it. Eric Sanders walked and Sam Seidel singled to put runners on the corners, which allowed Karl Ferber to hit a sacrifice fly to score Sanders for a 3-1 deficit. Carson Music followed with a bunt single to third, and the ball was misplayed, allowing Seidel to score. Adelman then recorded a ground out and a strikeout to get out of the inning. The Flyers got one back in the top of the sixth, as Perkins was hit by a pitch and was awarded second base on a balk. Maxwell then singled him in with an RBI base hit to left to make it 4-2. After Adelman struck out a batter to start the seventh, Seidel tripled and Ferber walked to put runners at the corners. Music hit into a groundout that scored Seidel for a 4-3 deficit. With Ferber on third, Adelman was able to induce a ground out to second base to end the game. Adelman allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits with 11 strikeouts and four walks in the seven innings. He threw 107 pitches (67 strikes). Vanderpool allowed three earned runs on three hits with three strikeouts and four walks for the Trojans. Blaine Wheeler pitched the final four innings and allowed one earned run on two hits with two strikeouts and two walks. "We played small ball really well tonight," Fries said. "When we got runners on, we were able to move them in scoring position and get them in. We left a lot of guys on base, but we were able to create enough opportunities to get just one more run than South Central — and that is all that matters. "Scotty was great on the mound and our defense was solid," he added. "We made a few mistakes, but we made the plays when it counted. Going into the last week of the season we have put ourselves in position to play for a conference championship, and that is a great feeling." St. Paul 111 001 0 — 4 5 1 S. Central 000 020 1 — 3 6 0 WP: Adelman; LP: Vanderpool 2B: (SP) Bocock; 3B: (SC) Seidel W. Reserve 7, Monroeville 3 COLLINS — The Roughriders strung together five runs over the second and third innings en route to an FC win over the visiting Eagles on Wednesday. Kaden Boswell was 3 for 3 with two doubles and scored three times for the 'Riders, who improved to 5-16 overall and 3-7 in the FC. Chris Buchanan and Grant Bethard each doubled and drove in a run, while Carson Roe singled with two RBIs and Matt Jarrett also singled and had an RBI. On the mound, Jude Muenz went all seven innings for Western. He allowed three unearned runs on four hits with eight strikeouts and xx walks. For Monroeville (0-16, 0-10), Braden Chapman singled with two RBIs and Daniel Smith singled and had one RBI, while Trevor Schafer and Brayden Bodkin each had a double. Western is at Crestview on Friday and visits New London, then hosts the Wildcats on Monday and Tuesday. The Eagles host Lucas before visiting South Central and hosting the Trojans next week. Monroeville 001 200 0 — 3 4 3 W. Reserve 032 011 0 — 7 11 2 WP: Muenz; LP: Chapman 2B: (WR) Boswell 2, Buchanan, Bethard; (M) Bodkin, Schafer