Although they racked up nine hits and senior pitcher Tyler Bartholomew recorded nine strikeouts, the Fayette Falcon baseball team was unable to stay in front of the Northwestern (Mendon) Eagles on Friday night, dropping a tight 5-3 game on the road.

The loss dropped the Falcon record to 0-5 while the Eagles moved to 4-5 on the year.

Neither team could generate much offense in the first two innings as the score remained deadlocked at 0-0 going into the top of the third.

Leading off the third, senior Logan Wiswall doubled, then scored when sophomore Jayden Shiflett singled to drive him home. 

Northwestern came right back in the bottom of the frame to tie the game at one-all. 

Fayette’s 5-6-7 hitters had no answers for Northwestern pitchers in the top of the fourth, going down in order and leaving the game tied.

The bottom of the fourth found Northwestern scoring two more runs via a hit by pitch followed by a fielder’s choice and an RBI double to score the first. The double was followed by a single that scored the second run, making the score 3-1 in favor of the home team.  

Neither team scored in the fifth. 

Fayette pulled even with Northwestern in the top of the sixth when junior Alex McBain led off with a single then stole second. Classmate Gage Sulltrop drove in McBain with an RBI single. Junior Mason Sappington added a single to move Sulltrop to third. Freshman Kaleb Friebe then singled to left to drive in another run to tie the game 3-3. That was all the offense Fayette could scratch out in the inning even after loading the bases.

Northwestern added two more runs in the bottom of the frame to make the score 5-3.

In the top of the seventh, Sulltrop added another single, but that was all the Falcons could muster as they left him stranded to end the game.

Sulltrop led the Falcon offensive attack, going 3-for-4 on the night and scoring a run. All but two Fayette batters registered a hit but aside from Wiswall’s third-inning double, all were singles. Shiflett, junior Haden Kelly, McBain, Sappington, and Friebe all contributed singles.

Senior Tyler Bartholomew took the loss for the Falcons despite a nine-strikeout performance.

The Falcons will next face the Slater Wildcats today at Estes Field. They will follow that home game with a trip to Westran to take on the Hornets then return to the road to take on Knox County on Tuesday.