Red Devils edge past Dragons in pitchers' duel

FLATWOODS, Ky. — After some early scoring, both pitching staffs' for Russell and Fairland settled in and turned the game into a pitchers' duel, with the Red Devils hanging on to edge past the Dragons 3-2 on Friday night.

Russell used a trio of pitchers in the game, with Jayden Frasure picking up the win in 3 innings of work. Frasure gave up 5 hits, 2 runs, struck out 3 and walked a pair. Hayden McGowan and Caleb Groves both threw 2 innings apiece and combined for 4 scoreless innings. Groves earned the save after coming on in the sixth inning to close the game out.

Josh Gillespie took the loss for Fairland, allowing just 3 earned runs, 5 hits and struck out 7 batters in 6 innings of work.

Russell (19-7) jumped out to grab an early lead in the first when Dawson Wada grounded out, but allowed Gunnar Hignite score on the play to make it 1-0.

The Red Devils added to their lead in the bottom of the second with a pair of RBI-singles first by Layne Paxson and another from Wada just two pitches later to give Russell a 3-0 advantage.

Fairland would rally back in the top of the third when Gillespie singled into right to score a run. Then Cyrus Cummings lined a hit into left to score Gillespie from second to make the score 3-2.

From the fourth inning on, the hits would become scarce and the pitching would take over.

Gillespie retired 9 of the final 10 batters he faced and allowed just one hit the rest of the way to keep the Dragons within a run.

The Dragons' had two chances to even the score or take the lead, but both times McGowan and Groves pitched their way out of the jam.

The first threat came in the fifth when Noah Fleming singled with an out and Cummings drew a walk in the following at bat.

Fleming moved to third on a wild pitch and Cummings later stole second to put both runners in scoring position.

However, McGowan slammed the door shut on the threat by fanning the next batter and got the next batter to fly out to end the inning.

Then in the top of the seventh, Gillespie and Cummings drew walks with one out.

But again the Red Devils turned away the scoring threat as Groves had consecutive batters fly out to end the game and seal the win.

The Red Devils generated just 5 hits with Wada going 2-of-3 with two RBI, Paxson had a hit and an RBI, and Keoni Ancheta and Jacob Tolliver each had a hit.

Fairladnd had seven hits in the loss, led by Aydan Napier going 2-4, both Gillespie and Cummings had a hit and an RBI, Tanner Brown had a triple, and Fleming and Mac Clark both had a hit.

Fairland 002 000 0 = 2 7 1

Russell 120 000 x = 3 5 0

Jayden Frasure, Hayden McGowan (4), Caleb Groves (6) and Lokelio Ancheta. W-Frasure (IP-3.0, H-5, R-2, ER-2, K-3, BB-2). S-Groves (IP-2.0, H-1, R-0, ER-0, K-2, BB-2, WP-1). McGowen (IP-2.0, H-1, R-0, ER-0, K-2, BB-2, WP-2). L-Gillespie (IP-6.0, H-5, R-3, ER-3, K-7, BB-3). Hitting–Fairland: Tanner Brown 1-2 3B, Josh Gillespie 1-3 RBI, Noah Fleming 1-3, Cyrus Cummings 1-2 RBI, Aydan Napier 2-4, Mac Clark 1-3; Russell: Layne Paxson 1-3 RBI, Dawson Wada 2-3 2-RBI,