17U American Legion Baseball: Fairfield Takes Two From Orange Behind Strong Pitching

Fairfield 17U American Legion topped Orange in both games of a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Kiwanis Field in Fairfield. 

Fairfield won game one, 7-3. Post 143 took game two by a score of 9-2. 

In both games, Fairfield got strong starting pitching. 

In the first game, Liam Grady took a no hitter into the sixth inning and ended up throwing 6.1 innings, allowing three runs on four hits, while striking out nine and walking just two. 

Will Ford picked up the save, getting the final two outs. 

In the second game, Will Kane threw a complete game, giving up two unearned runs, while scattering seven hits. He struck out seven and walked two. 

In game one, offensively, Fairfield got on the board in the second, scoring three times. 

With two on and one out, Peter Doonan doubled to center field to bring in Gabe Vahey, who had walked to lead off the inning. Jack Veas then followed up with a sacrifice fly to right field. The next batter, Grady, singled to left to plate Doonan. 

The score remained 3-0 until the bottom of the sixth. Jonathan Barzottini singled with one out and then Vahey walked. James McBennett followed up with a single of his own to load the bases. 

Barzottini came in to score on a wild pitch to put Fairfield up 4-0. A passed ball allowed Vahey to cross and increase the lead to 5-0. Another wild pitch allowed McBennett to come home. 

Fairfield's scoring was capped later in the inning when Will Burhman stole home as part of a double steal attempt with runners at first and third. 

In the seventh, Orange tried to rally. After two hit by pitches and a pop out, three straight hits led two three runs before Ford was able to come in and get a line out a strike out to leave the bases loaded. 

Offensively in game two, it was similar to game one in that Fairfield scored early but opened up the lead late. 

In the third, Meyer Stransky singled to left with two outs to bring in Emmett Tolisano who walked to lead off the frame. 

The next inning, Fairfield opened up their lead. Thomas Hogan reached on an error allowing McBennett and Veas to score. Barzottini followed up with an RBI single to bring in Tolisano. Fairfield held a 4-0 lead. 

Later in the inning, With Hogan at third and Barzottini at first, Post 143 pulled off a double steal and Hogan crossed the plate. 

Orange got two runs in the fifth to cut the deficit to 5-2. 

In the sixth, with Fairfield still up 5-2, they would extend the lead. A sacrifice fly by Barzottini pushed the lead to 6-2. 

Stransky was then hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in a run. Burham followed up with a walk to push across another run. The scoring was capped on Vahey's single to plate Kane. 

Fairfield will travel to Amity High School on Sunday to face Orange at 1pm.