GAMES FIRST RUN … Trent Eitniear slides home with a run on a sacrifice fly in the first inning for Swanton. VIEW 191 PHOTOS OF THIS CONTEST FOR FREE AT WWW.THEVILLAGEREPORTER.COM
By: Nate Calvin
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
sports@thevillagereporter.com
SHERWOOD (May 15, 2024) – Fairview scored three times in the sixth to break a 4-4 tie as they advanced to the Division III sectional finals after beating Swanton, 7-4.
The visitors from Swanton got on the scoreboard in the first inning via three straight walks by Fairview starter Cash King to load the bases and Isaiah Bolyard hit a sacrifice fly to left to give Swanton a 1-0 lead.
Fairview stuck back quickly in the bottom of the frame with Brody Williams drawing a walk and Cole Mack drove a double to center to put Apaches at second and third with no outs.
A Jonah Shininger single to center scored Williams to tie the game and Noah Shininger followed with an RBI groundout to put Fairview on top 2-1.
Swanton drew even in the third inning starting with Trent Eitniear being hit by a pitch and after a steal and passed ball, Eitniear moved to third with two outs.
Bolyard then reached on an error after hitting a grounder to third and Eitniear scored to tie the game 2-2.
It was again the Apaches turn to respond in the bottom of the third as Drayden Grinnell-Dennis got on base via an error in between a flyout by Mack and strikeout by Jonah Shininger.
Noah Shininger followed with an RBI double to center, scoring Grinnell-Davis, and putting Fairview back on top at 3-2.
Swanton would take the lead in the fifth with a two-out rally as Adam Lemon hit an RBI single to score Drake Harris who opened the inning with a single and Bolyard laced an RBI double to score Lemon and give the Bulldogs a 4-3 lead.
Fairview knotted the game back up in their half of the frame as Elijah Arend singled with two outs and Jesse Coolman doubled to left to square the game at 4-4.
Fairview took the lead for good in the sixth as the first two batters reached base and then moved to second and third after a sacrifice by Grinnell-Dennis.
Jonah Shininger would deliver the big hit of the night for Fairview with a two-run double to left and two batters later scored on a single by Arend as the lead grew to 7-4.
Eitniear started the final chance for Swanton with a single, but Carsen Lemons flew out to left and Eitniear was doubled off at first on a Lemon fly ball to right for a game-ending double play.
Bolyard fronted the Bulldogs with two hits and two RBIs and Lemon took the loss on the hill after going five innings and allowing six runs, but just one earned.
SWANTON 101 020 0 – 4 6 4
FAIRVIEW 201 013 x – 7 11 1
Records: Swanton 11-9, Fairview 16-4
WINNING PITCHER: Mack (2.1 innings, 1 hit, 0 runs, 2 strikeouts, 0 walks) OTHER: King, Breaven Williams
LOSING PITCHER: Lemon (5 innings, 7 hits, 6 runs, 1 earned, 3 strikeouts, 3 walks) OTHER: Lemons
LEADING HITTERS: (Swanton) Lemon – double, RBI; Bolyard – double, single, 2 RBIs; (Fairview) J. Shininger – double, single, 3 RBIs; N. Shininger – double, 2 RBIs; Coolman – double, RBI; Timbrook – double, single; Arend – 2 singles, RBI; Mack – double, 2 runs
