(London, Ontario) – After 17 long months without Fanshawe sports, the Falcons resumed OCAA play on Friday evening with a baseball doubleheader at Dan Pulham Park. The first home game action saw the Fanshawe Falcons Men's Baseball team (0-2) host the St. Clair Saints (2-0) in the season opener for both teams. Fanshawe dropped both ends of the twin bill by scores of 7-3 and 11-4.
In the first game of the doubleheader, rookie Falcon pitcher Connor Stapleford (Burlington, ON) started strong with four strikeouts in the first two innings. Back-to-back singles from Blake Petsinis (Ajax, ON) and Macguire Gordon (Lucan, ON) scored Liam Carson (Ingersoll, ON) to give Fanshawe a 1-0 lead after the second inning. Unfortunately the lead would be short-lived, as the Saints came out strong in the next two innings and took a 7-1 lead. In the bottom of the fourth, Petsinis hit a single, then stole second while teammate Andrew Gorecki (Brantford, ON) stole home. Petsinis would then score to cut St. Clair's lead to 7-3 going into the fifth frame. The Saints pitching neutralized the Falcons bats the rest of the way as they took the opener 7-3. Stapleford took the loss (0-1) and St. Clair's Evan Ferguson (1-0) was the winning pitcher. Petsinis went 2 for 3 at the plate, with 1 run and a stolen base.
Fanshawe scored first again to start game two, when a Brad Verhoeven (St. Thomas, ON) double scored Payton Macdonald (Woodstock, ON). A 2-run RBI by Macdonald gave the home team a 3-1 lead going into the fourth inning. St. Clair came to life in the fifth inning, taking advantage of some walks and a couple of Fanshawe errors for a commanding 10-3 lead. They would go on to win 11-4. Macdonald was 1 for 2 at the plate, with 2 RBIs and 1 walk for the Falcons. Russell Derksen (Toronto, ON) (0-1) was the losing pitcher and Brock Whitson (1-0) claimed the win.
Next up, Fanshawe will travel to Durham to face the Lords (0-1) on Sunday at 1pm and 3:30pm.
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