Papazogolou stymies Hounds with 14Ks in game one of sweep

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BY ETHAN LILLARD
PCC SPORTS

FORT MADISON - Fort Madison baseball hadn't been swept in a double header yet this season. Monday at home against Fairfield, the Bloodhounds looked to continue that trend as they took on their Southeast conference foe for the third double header of the young season.

Fort Madison Head Coach Ron Walker admitted his team already looked defeated before they took the field Monday night, as they faced off with a Fairfield squad that went 30-9 in the 2017-18 season.

Even if the Bloodhounds stepped onto the field Monday with all of the confidence in the world, it still may not have made a difference. Fairfield's Kosta Papazogolou was absolutely dominate on the mound for the Trojans, going 6 2/3 innings strong on 107 pitches, recording 14 strikeouts while holding the Hounds to a single hit.

“First off, tip your hat to (Papazogolou). He came out and competed hard every pitch. He's a winner, plays the game hard and took the game to us,” Fort Madison Head Coach Ron Walker said. “We were deflated when we got to the ball field today. We didn't take a lot of pride in who we were. We didn't attack the game and compete very well early. Between him taking the game to us and us laying down, that's not a very good combination to set the tone for the night.”

GAME ONE

Papazoglou recorded the first six outs on Ks. After holding Fort Madison to a three up three down bottom of the first, Fairfield busted the game open in the top of the second. A hit by pitch, followed by an error and a single loaded the bases for the Trojans with no outs. The next batter grounded into a fielder's choice for the first run, before errors cost the Hounds two more runs as Fairfield's lead swelled to 3-0.

Another error put a runner on first for Fairfield to start the third, before a single and another error led to the Trojans advancing the lead to 4-0.

Fort Madison stuck around in the game, but Fairfield coupled some small ball with a few more Fort Madison errors to throw five more runs on the board, going on to win by the final of 9-0. The Bloodhounds committed nine errors over the course of the seven innings.

Fort Madison's Jason Thurman puts the tag on a Fairfield's Cooper Drish. Drish was called out on the play with the throw coming from the Bloodhounds Landis Williams, who wiped off two base runners in the Hounds opening game 9-0 loss. Photo by Chuck Vandenberg/PCC

“We talked about how this is our third double header of the year,” Walker said. “The first two double headers we lost game one of the night and came back and won game two. Tonight was no different. We had the same goals to come out and get game two tonight against a very good Fairfield team and get out of here with the split.”

SECOND GAME

Fort Madison responded in game two.

After Fairfield started the first inning with a run, the Bloodhounds loaded the bases for Dayne Cordray. The senior responded with a sacrifice fly to right field to score Landis Williams. Vasin Thurman followed with another walk to load the bases again, before a Fairfield error at shortstop on Reed Fehseke's at bat allowed Jason Thurman to score, giving the Hounds the 2-1 lead.

What happened next was the epitome of Fort Madison's fortunes on the night.

On the next at bat Tate Johnson hit a hard hit ball back to the pitcher. The pitcher fielded the ground ball and threw it to home for the force out, as the catcher then stepped aside and threw down to first base for the 1-2-3 double play to end the inning.

“Tate Johnson had a nice swing on the ball,” Walker said. “The pitcher snagged the one hopper. He made a great play on it and they turned a nice 1-2-3 double play that isn't seen very often at the high school level. Great teams make great plays.”

Two singles coupled with an error tied the game for Fairfield in the top of the second inning. Two more errors and two more singles for the Trojans the next inning blew the game open again, as Fairfield jumped ahead 6-2.

Fort Madison scored its final run in the home-half of the third, as Kane Williams grounded into a fielder's choice, scoring Jordyn Gerdes in the process to trim the lead to 6-3.

A double to start the fifth inning helped Fairfield extend the lead to 7-3, before two singles and another double scored the final run of the for Fairfield, as the Trojans went on to win by the final count of 8-3.

“We talk about shortening the game,” Walker said. “You only have to get 21 outs. When you think about it that way the game seems pretty simple. We had three or four bunt plays that we couldn't even cover and get an out on. Then it goes from you have to get 21 outs to all of a sudden you're trying to get 25. That's a huge swing.

“It's early in the season. We're young and inexperienced, but that's alright, that's expected. Our goal is to be a better team each and every day. Today I'm not sure we're there, but we're playing for July and we're going to keep plugging away and working hard.”

Jason Thurman, Dayne Cordray and Reed Fehseke all delivered with RBIs for Fort Madison. Landis Williams, Jason Thurman and Tate Johnson scored the three runs on the day for the Hounds.

Cordray was hit for the loss in game two after throwing five innings on 83 pitches, allowing 10 hits and just one earned run. Jason Thurman and Reed Fehseke each threw one inning of relief and allowed no earned runs. Cordray collected two Ks, Thurman had one and Fehseke struck out the side in his one inning of work.

Fort Madison is now 3-4 on the year and will have a shot at redemption this Wednesday as they take on Mediapolis.

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