Jun 25, 2026 By Rob Burchianti 4 min read

When the dust had cleared after a flurry of late scoring over the final two innings, it was Smithfield-Fairchance that stood tall as the winner of a Fayette American Legion baseball battle with Carmichaels on Wednesday.

Billy Craig delivered a key single in the top of the seventh and AJ Watson pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the frame as S-F held on for a 7-6 victory at Carmichaels.

“It was back and forth the entire game,” said Smithfield-Fairchance manager Tony Watson, whose squad improved to 6-3-1 while Carmichaels fell to 2-7.

The score was tied 3-3 after five innings before Smithfield-Fairchance went ahead with two runs in the top of the sixth. Carmichaels pushed across a run in the bottom of the sixth to make it 5-4, S-F tacked on two important insurance runs in the top of the seventh to go up 7-4 and Carmichaels sliced the gap to one with a pair of runs in its final at bat.

Carmichaels started the bottom of the seventh against Clay Smith with a walk by Scott Maskil Jr. and a triple by Jarett Tretinik.

Watson came on in relief and after a strikeout allowed Ryder Krieg’s run-scoring single that trimmed the lead to one, and walked Jordan Davis. With the potential tying and winning runs on base, Watson got a called strike three and a swinging strikeout to end the game and earn the save.

“AJ did a nice job coming in to shut the door for us,” said Tony Watson of his son. “He was able to hit his spots and get us out of a tight jam.”

The teams combined for five runs in the first inning which ended with S-F up 3-2.

Smithfield-Fairchance had a resounding start to the game with a double by Evan Weakland, a triple by Watson and a double by Matt Malinsky for a quick 2-0 lead. Malinsky scored on an error later in the inning to make it 3-0.

“We came out of the gate strong and had some really good at bats,” Tony Watson said.

Carmichaels responded in the bottom of the first with a two-run double by Brayden Ellsworth.

Carmichaels pulled even in the third when Tretinik walked, took second on a wild pitch, moved to third on Chase Ankrom’s sacrifice bunt and scored on Krieg’s single.

“Carmichaels was able to take advantage of some walks and timely hitting,” Tony Watson said.

Smithfield-Fairchance surged in front to stay in the sixth when Ben Lilley singled, took second when Maddox Reynolds reached on an error, went to third on a passed ball and scored on Smith’s sacrifice fly for a 4-3 lead.

Weakland singled one out later and Watson was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Reynolds then scored when Malinsky drew an RBI walk.

Carmichaels manufactured a run without the benefit of a hit to get within 5-4 in the bottom of the sixth. Ellsworth was hit by a pitch, went to second on Brody Bebout’s walk, advanced to third on Chase Bebout’s fly out and came home on Connor Lapana’s sacrifice fly.

Smithfield-Fairchance’s seventh-inning rally began with a one-out walk by Kaiden Brady, who raced to third on Reynolds’ infield single. After Smith walked, Craig stroked a single to right to bring in Brady and Reynolds also scored what proved to be the winning run when the ball was misplayed for an error.

“Billy Craig has been swinging a good bat over the past few games and came up big for us,” Tony Watson said. “He worked the at bat and had a great two-strike approach.”

Malinsky earned the win, allowing three runs on four hits and five walks with nine strikeouts in five innings.

Weakland had three hits and Watson had two for S-F, which played an error-free game.

Krieg had two hits and two RBIs for Carmichaels. Losing pitcher Brody Bebout surrendered three earned runs on 10 hits and three walks with three strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.