Fairview baseball stays in Region 4 race with extra-inning victory over Harbor Creek
Fairview wasn’t ready to relinquish Region 4 quite yet.
The defending District 10 Region 4 baseball champion entered Monday two games back of Harbor Creek, including a head-to-head loss April 19. Thanks to some extra-inning heroics from Patrick Stafford and company, however, the Tigers moved back within striking distance of first place.
Stafford’s eighth-inning single plated the decisive run for Fairview (10-2, 6-2) in a 5-3 victory Monday at Harbor Creek (9-3, 7-1). It was one of two hits for the senior, who pitched four innings before Aari Fox and Ed Dolansky combined to close out the Huskies.
“We needed to show that we’re here and we can compete with these teams, and we showed that today,” Stafford said postgame.
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Dramatic ending
Caleb Szklenski and Austin Hawley each drew a walk in Fairview’s half of the eighth inning before Andrew Stevens’ third hit of the game loaded the bases with one out. Stafford then singled home Szklenski before Hawley dashed home on an errant throw during the following at-bat.
Harbor Creek threatened in its half of the eighth, drawing two walks before a throwing error appeared to load the bases with two outs. Two Huskies ended up on third base during the play, however, and Fairview tagged one out to end the game.
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“Our kids played great (Monday),” Fairview coach Joe Spinelli said. “Best game we played all year, and we had to have an A-plus game to beat (Harbor Creek). We’re thrilled with the win and a lot of kids did a lot of great things.”
Power bats
Each team scored three runs in the fourth inning, including a two-run home run by both. Adam Milam connected for Fairview before Caleb Folmer tied it for Harbor Creek, each ball sailing over the left-field fence at Paul M. Foust Field.
“I thought, 'OK, if he’s throwing heat, I’d might as well just be ready for it,'” Milam said of his home run swing. “I expected the fastball high, saw it and was early on it.”
More ball to play
Jammed between Harbor Creek and Fairview in the Region 4 standings is Mercyhurst Prep, which beat Fairview on April 10 but lost to Harbor Creek on April 15. The Lakers will play a rematch with each on back-to-back days May 6-7.
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Fairview, of course, will need some help if it’s to win Region 4 again. But Monday ensured this region is very much a three-team race.
“We have some good chemistry, and we can build a lot of momentum, even when it gets cut down,” said Milam, a junior. “We got the three (runs) in the fourth then they got three back and we said, 'New ballgame, let’s keep it going.'”
Contact Jeff Uveino at juveino@gannett.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @realjuveino.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: High school baseball: Fairview tops Harbor Creek in key region rematch
