NEWS
Baseball Takes Two from Fairfield for Three Straight Wins
Wilson Perkins was back on the mound to start the series against Fairfield. (News of Davidson photo)
FRIDAY — Davidson pitchers Wilson Perkins and Ed Hall combined for a complete-game shutout and 14 strikeouts while leading the Wildcats to a series-opening 1-0 win over Fairfield at Wilson Field Friday night.
With their first 1-0 victory since 2016, the Wildcats improved to 3-2, while Fairfield fell to 0-4.
It's the first shutout by Davidson pitchers since the two combined for a 6-0 win last April against Saint Louis. On that day, Perkins carried much of the load, totaling eight innings and punching out 15.
On Friday, Perkins pitched the first four innings and struck out four while allowing three hits. Hall came on in the fifth and struck out the side, then proceeded to keep the Stags at bay. He threw the final five innings, while striking out a career-best 10 and allowing two hits.
In two appearances and 9.1 innings this season, Hall has struck out 17 and has an 0.96 ERA.
The night's only run came in the third inning when Aidan Rice reached base on an infield single, advanced on an error and scored on a Forrest Lietz RBI-single to left-center.
Jamie Daly led the Wildcats with three hits, while Lietz, Rice and Matt Manjooran had two apiece.
Davidson last won a 1-0 game on April 30, 2016 at Saint Louis when Durin O'Linger threw a complete-game shutout and struck out five. Catcher Jake Sidwell scored on a passed ball for the game's only run.
SATURDAY — Matthew Vannoy and Will Brooks homered to help lead the Davidson baseball team past Fairfield 8-6 Saturday afternoon at Wilson Field.
It's the third straight win for the Wildcats, who improved to 4-2, and swept the shortened, two-game series. Sunday's game was canceled to accommodate Fairfield's return travel with an impending winter storm in the northeast.
Vannoy hit his first college home run, a solo shot, to get the Wildcats on the board in the third inning. Brooks' two-run home run to center. his first this season, broke a 4-all tie in the sixth inning and put the Wildcats in front for good.
Matt Manjooran hit a two-run single down the line in the fourth, and Anthony Torreso's RBI-single provided some insurance in the eighth. In the seventh, the Wildcats scored a run when Aidan Rice attempted to steal home and forced a balk and catcher's interference call.
Vannoy, Torreso and Rice had two hits apiece.
Five Davidson pitchers combined to strike out 11 Stags. Ivan Hoyt earned his first win, throwing three innings, allowing one hit and one earned run and striking out four.
TJ Schmalzle hit two home runs for Fairfield, which fell to 0-5.