Division IV Regional Semifinal
Fairfield Union 5, Logan Elm 2
ATHENS — Two Mid-State League rivals met up for the third time this season in a Division IV regional semifinal with Fairfield Union claiming its third victory over Logan Elm with a 5-2 decision.
The Braves didn’t help themselves with stranding runners in the early innings.
With two outs in the first, Kelton Bennington reached on an error, Cam Ebert drew a walk and then Zane Seimer hit a ball to the shortstop that he wasn’t able to get to the second baseman in time and the Braves had the bases loaded. But a grounder to second brought the inning to a close.
Runners were in scoring position again in the third after Bennington hit a one-out single up the middle and Ebert followed with a single to left. A fielder’s choice to third kept the Braves at first and second before a groundout to second ended the inning.
“We needed to score early and didn’t get it done early. I think it’s a different ballgame if we do,” LE coach Drew McGlone said.
Brady Neff got the start for the Braves and faced only 11 batters through the first three innings.
The Falcons were able to break through in the fourth.
Garrett Dilcher reached on a one-out single and Brady Andrews was hit by a pitch.
Neff got the second out on a strikeout.
The runners advanced on a stolen base and then Dylan Chilcote was hit by a pitch to load the bases. A wild pitch allowed Dilcher to score and then Branson Rowles singled to center which brought in pinch runner Colton Borah but centerfielder Lucas Bialy threw a strike to Ebert to get pinch runner Braxton Rowles out at home to end the inning with FU leading 2-0.
After the fifth started with a walk, Bennington was brought in to pitch and he got two outs on a sacrifice bunt and a ground out.
Alex Burke then hit an RBI single to left. After a walk by Dilcher, Brady Andrews singled to center to bring in another run and Dilcher went to third on the throw home. A wild pitch allowed Dilcher to score before the inning ended with the Falcons up 5-0.
“Brady came out throwing really well and kind of stuttered there in the fourth,” McGlone said, “and KB got hit around there in the fifth, too. Two innings and that’s what’s going to do it.”
The Braves had two baserunners in the bottom of the fifth and one in the sixth before finally breaking though in the seventh.
Neff and Blake Summers started the inning by reaching on errors and moved up on a wild pitch. Bennington hit a sacrifice fly to score Neff. Ebert then singled to right to score Summers.
An infield popup brought about the second out before Blake Swicegood drew a walk to bring the tying run to the plate.
Falcon starter Cameron Silcott had reached his pitch limit, and Joe Blankenship was brought on. He brought the game to an end by inducing a popup to shortstop.
Silcott got the win going 6.2 innings. He gave up two unearned runs on four hits with four walks and he struck out eight. Blankenship got the save.
Neff pitched four-plus innings for the Braves giving up three runs (one earned) on two hits with two walks and he struck out four. Bennington pitched three innings allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits with a walk and he struck out three.
The Braves lose a group of seniors in Bennington, Bialy, Ebert, Dawson Farris, Neff and Summers that led the team to its first district championship since 2010 and only the fifth in school history.
“We’re really proud of that,” McGlone said. “But this isn’t where we want to stop either. So, the bar and the standard have been set by these seniors and I’m very proud of them. I mean, six of them gone and that’s going to be tough to deal with. The underclassmen are going to have to really step up and lead.
“I’m proud of my seniors and proud of the underclassmen for the way they stepped up this year. They changed the culture and the standard around here at Logan Elm baseball for sure.”
Logan Elm finished the season with a 15-11 record.
Fairfield Union (23-6), which had wins of 3-0 and 10-2 over LE in the regular season, returns to Ohio University Thursday to take on Richmond Edison for a shot at the regional title.
