FAIRVIEW, Ala. – After collecting a huge win at Arab on Tuesday night, the Fairview Aggies welcomed the Knights to their place for a doubleheader on Thursday night. In the first game Fairview held a 5-0 lead after three innings, but it was all Arab after that, as a big fifth inning helped them get past the Aggies, 7-5. In game two, in what was a carbon copy of game one, the Aggies got out to a quick 6-1 lead in their opening at-bats. A big fifth inning by the Knights, though, gave them the lead right back. Fairview rallied late in the game however, and Camden Cullen’s game-winning RBI double gave the Aggies the 8-7 come-from-behind win over Arab.
Arab got on the scoreboard in their opening at-bats. Dylan Kirkland drew a leadoff walk, and with two outs, Luke Martin hit an RBI single to give the Knights the early lead. Fairview responded in a big way in their half. Back-to-back singles by Conner Scott and Collin Nelson, plus a hit by pitch, loaded the bases with nobody out. As quickly as they got on, that’s how quick Hunter Barron brought them home, as his bases-clearing double gave the Aggies a 3-1 lead. Lincoln Wright reached on a bunt single to put runners on the corners, and Fairview executed the double steal to perfection, as Barron stole home to make it 4-1. On the very next pitch, Jaxson Robertson hit an RBI single to right field to widen their lead to 5-1. A sacrifice bunt moved Robertson over to second, and two passed balls allowed Robertson to score to give Fairview a 6-1 lead.
After a scoreless second inning, Arab cut into the deficit in the top of the third. They loaded the bases to lead off the inning, then after a fielder’s choice, Martin drew a bases-loaded walk to cut it to 6-2. Paxton Phillips drove in a run on a fielder’s choice to make it a three-run game. Fairview threatened to add onto their lead in the bottom of the fourth, as they loaded the bases with two outs, but a groundout quickly ended the inning.
Just like in the first game, the Knights lit up the scoreboard in the top of the fifth. Colton Borden hit a one-out double and scored on an error two pitches later to trim it to just two at 6-4. A walk put runners at first and second with one out, then Martin moved up to third on an error and scored on a passed ball on the next pitch to cut it to 6-5. One out later, pinch-hitter Brody Walters hit a two-run double to center field to give Arab their first lead since the top of the first inning at 7-6. The score stayed the same until the bottom of the sixth inning. Cullen led off the inning with a single, then a ground ball and a sacrifice bunt moved him within 90 feet of tying the game. That’s exactly what happened, as on just the second pitch, Robertson’s bunt single drove in Cullen to tie things up at seven.
Arab, though, threatened to break the tie in the top of the seventh. Phillips hit a one-out double, then Kirkland followed that up with a single to put runners at the corners with one out. Cullen came through in a big way, as he punched out the next two hitters to keep the game tied up at seven. Fairview ended the game in their half. Nelson reached on an error with two outs, then Cullen, who kept the game tied in the top half of the seventh, hit the game-winning RBI double to center field to give the Aggies a thrilling 8-7 win over the Knights.
Barron finished with a pair of hits and three RBIs for Fairview (11-11). Robertson added a pair of hits and two RBIs, while Cullen ended up with two hits and the game-winning RBI double.
Fairview will now shift their focus to this weekend’s Cullman County Baseball Tournament, as they will take on the Vinemont/Cold Springs winner on Saturday morning at 11 a.m.
