RUNNING GRAB … Luke Horning comes in from his centerfield position to make the catch during Pettisville’s 17-4 win at Fayette.
(PHOTOS BY RENEAKESSLER / THEVILLAGE REPORTER)
LEADING HITTER … Fayette’s Mason Leininger sends a ground ball to third base in the first inning. Leininger ended up with two hits and an RBI on the night.
By: Joe Blystone
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
FAYETTE (April 29, 2025) – Pettisville only had five hits, but took advantage of 10 walks, four more hit batsmen and 11 more wild pitches and passed balls, to chalk up a 17-4 win over Fayette.
“Every win is a good win no matter it gets done,” Blackbird coach Paul Bishop said. “I just told these guys that we scored a run early, then got two and they came back with a run in the third, but we came back and responded.”
“We need to continue to do that, when a team scores we need to rebound and take it back to them and we were able to do that tonight.”
Quinn Ripke got the Blackbirds going in the first as he led off with a single, went to second on a passed ball, stole third and came home when Sam Hastings bounced out.
Pettisville added pairs of runs in the second and third against Fayette starter Mason Leininger.
Rylan Warner’s one out single, a steal and throwing error, then an infield miscue along with two more stolen bases and another throwing error on a steal made it 3-0.
Pettisville got the third inning runs without a hit on a pair of walks, a couple of steals, another throwing error and a wild pitch.
Fayette got one back in the third on Dane Andrews RBI single, but the roof caved on the Eagles in the fourth.
Leininger and reliever Wyatt Bieber couldn’t find the zone walking three hitters and hitting two more to set the table for Warner’s two-run triple being the key blow in a seven-run inning.
Two fielding errors by the Blackbirds set up Bieber’s two-run single and Leininger’s slicing run producing double down the right field line in the bottom of the fourth that cut the Birds lead to 12-4 but Pettisville marked five more in the fifth without a hit.
Five walks, two hit batters, a number of defensive indifferences and a combination of four wild pitches and passed balls pushed the bulge to 17-4.
Caden Bishop picked up the win going five innings, giving up two earned runs on four hits. Bishop did not walk a batter but plunked four Eagle hitters while striking out four.
Leininger took the loss issuing four walks and giving up four hits in just over three innings.
Fayette travels to Stryker Wednesday and hosts Holgate Saturday. Pettisville will travel to Hilltop Thursday.
PHS 122 75 – 17 5 4
FHS 001 30 – 4 4 4
Records: PHS 3-2, BBC 7-5; FHS 2-8, 0-5 BBC
WINNING PITCHER: C. Bishop (5 innings, 4 hits, 4 runs, 2 earned, 0 walks, 4 strikeouts
LOSING PITCHER: M. Leininger (3.2 innings, 5 hits, 10 runs, 3 earned, 5 walks, 3 strikeouts) Other: Bieber, C. Leininger
LEADING HITTERS: (Pettisville) Warner – triple, single, 2 RBIs, 2 runs; Ripke- 2 singles, RBI, 3 runs; (Fayette) M. Leininger – double, single, RBI; Bieber – single, 2 RBIs