Fairbanks infielder Dayne Madison, left, and a Mechanicsburg base runner watch the relay throw to first base. The Panthers rallied for a 5-1 victory to begin the Ohio Heritage Conference portion of their schedule.
(Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)
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When the dawn broke Monday morning, Fairbanks High School head baseball coach Josh Rine felt there was no way the Panthers could host Ohio Heritage Conference rival Mechanicsburg later in the day.
The heavy rain that fell Sunday night going into Monday’s A.M. hours left the diamond on Panther Hill pretty soaked.
The rain eventually stopped and the drainage on the FHS field proved to be pretty good.
Early in the afternoon, it looked like things could be a go for FHS’ home opener of the 2024 campaign.
As it turned out, that was fine with the Panther coach.
“I’m glad we got this game in,” said Rine after Fairbanks’ 5-1 victory.
The outcome marked the first victory in four games for FHS, while it handed the Indians their first setback in three outings.
The story of the game was the masterful performance on the mound by Panther senior Max Snyder.
On a cool, overcast day, Snyder yielded just two hits, struck out 11 and issued a pair of free passes during seven innings worth of work.
It was a pretty good outing for a guy who couldn’t pitch his junior season because of elbow problems.
“Max looked very good,” said Rine. “He mixed up his pitches well. He knows the game and knows how to pitch.”
Snyder said all of his pitches were working.
“My fastball was especially good and I was hitting my spots,” he said.
The Indians plated their lone run in the visitors’ portion of the initial inning.
Snyder made one of his few mistakes when he began the game by plunking Jayden Roland, who went on to steal second.
Roland went to third on a wild pitch and scored when a bloop hit by Conner Eyink fell between fielders.
Snyder notched his second and third strikeouts of the inning to wiggle out of further trouble.
From that point on, Snyder was nearly untouchable.
He retired six consecutive batters before Eyink legged out an infield single in the top of the fourth.
A fielder’s choice, flyball and grounder thwarted any type of Indian threat in that inning.
Snyder fanned the side in the fifth. After that, he struck out two and allowed a couple of walks the remainder of the game.
The Panthers had scoring opportunities early in the contest, but could not come up with a key hit against ‘Burg starter Lane Poland.
FHS tied the game with a run in the bottom of the third.
Owen Woody singled to lead off the inning.
Carson Reames then beat the throw on a bunt for a base hit.
Both advanced on a fielding miscue by the Indians.
Hayden Queen’s base hit drove in the run that knotted the game at 1-all.
The Panthers began to pull away with a trio of scores in the home half of the fifth.
Reames drew a lead-off free pass and Queen singled.
Poland coaxed a popout.
Snyder helped himself at the plate as he singled to break the stalemate.
A base hit from Zavier Payne loaded the bases.
One out later, Aidan Luellen delivered a base hit that gave FHS a 3-1 advantage.
A bases-loaded walk to Chase Shope put the Panthers’ fourth run on the board.
A popout ended the inning with the sacks juiced.
A pair of errors and Payne’s run-producing single gave Fairbanks its final run of the game.
“This was a big win for us,” said Rine. “We played competitive games in Myrtle Beach, but lost all (three) of them. It was good to get a win in our home opener.”
Fairbanks outhit the Indians, 10-2.
Queen and Payne both tallied a pair of hits.
‘Burg 100 000 0-1 2 3
FHS 001 031 x-5 10 0
WP: Snyder
LP: Poland