Smithfield-Fairchance opens Legion season with win
Smithfield-Fairchance made the most of three hits in defeating visiting Brownsville, 3-2, in the Fayette American Legion Baseball League opener for both teams.
Winning pitcher Matt Malinsky went the distance on a four-hitter, allowing one earned run with five walks and five strikeouts for manager Tony Watson’s team.
S-F trailed 2-0 when it loaded the bases in the bottom of the third inning. Billy Craig was hit by a pitch, Evan Weakland singled and AJ Watson walked to bring up Malinsky who smacked an RBI single to center field. Kayden Perez followed with a sacrifice fly to bring in Weakland with Watson advancing to third and then coming home with what proved to be the winning run on an errant throw as Malinsky stole second.
Malinsky had two of Smithfield-Fairchance’s three hits, including a double.
Brownsville took a 1-0 lead in the second when Josiah Huston reached on a fielder’s choice, stole second and hustled home from there on Todd Settles’ fielder’s choice.
The visitors went up 2-0 in the third when Jonathan Vasbinder walked, went to second on an error, took third on Nash Petroff’s single and scored on Elijah Patterson’s single.
Petroff threw a complete game in suffering the hard-luck loss. He surrendered just three hits and one walk with six strikeouts.