James Yoder of Fairbanks dives back for first base during a pickoff play against Worthington Christian. The Panthers increased their record to 10-4 with the 6-1 win.
(Journal-Tribune photo by Sam Dillon)
Fairbanks played seven innings of baseball to claim a 6-1 win over Worthington Christian on Thursday.
The Panthers, however, only needed one frame to plate enough runs to win.
“We have played them (Worthington Christian) a couple of times the last two years and they are a well-coached team that does all the little things right,” said Fairbanks head coach Josh Rine. “They are team that typically doesn’t beat themselves, so it is never an easy win.”
The Panthers’ bats came alive early in the first inning by putting the initial three hitters on to load the bases.
Clean-up hitter Allen Schnees took an early swing and launched the ball high into the sky in shallow right field.
The Warriors’ second baseman struggled to get underneath the ball on the windy field. That allowed the ball to land safely and score FHS’ first run.
Mason Cushman hit into a double play that brought in the second run.
By the end of the first inning, the Panthers scored all of the runs needed by taking a 3-0 lead into the second.
“We got off to a quick start in the first inning,” said Rine. “They made a couple of errors and we made them pay for it.
“That put three runs on the board and that was a big moment of the game.”
Fairbanks southpaw Wes Pyers started on the mound and was able to escape the first three innings unharmed. During that time, he fanned six.
Pyers had trouble finding the edges of the plate during the fourth inning and gave up several free passes.
With the bases loaded, though, Pyers was able to escape the jam only giving up one run.
The Panthers made that up in the bottom half of the fourth by capitalizing on some Warrior errors.
Braxton Wilhelm reached first safely when the first baseman struggled to glove a throw.
Mason Smith also reached base after the WC shortstop struggled with a ground ball.
The error advanced Wilhelm to third and a stolen base by Smith put both in scoring position.
Alex Jones’ sacrifice fly gave FHS a 4-1 lead.
Smith then crossed the plate for Fairbanks’ fifth run on a single over third base by Jayden Eickhoff.
Rine called on Eickhoff to take the mound in the fifth to close the game.
“I thought he (Pyers) looked really good through the first three innings,” Rine said. “After those control issues and with the lead, we called on Jayden . He is the guy who is going to throw strikes. He is not a guy who is going to give up that many runs as long as we play defense.”
Eickhoff answered the call with a ‘K’ and picked up the remaining two outs with the help of the Panther defense.
Fairbanks scored one more run in the sixth before Eickhoff finished the game by notching a pair of strikeouts and yielding just one hit.
FHS (10-4) will return to action today with an Ohio Heritage Conference game against OHC South leaders Greeneview.
Rine believes it will be a tough contest for his Panthers, who currently sit in second place in the OHC North with a 5-2 record.
WC 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 6 5
FB 3 0 0 2 0 1 x 6 5 2
WP- Pyers, 4 IP
LP- Crawford, 7 IP