The Fayette 14U baseball team opened its summer season last Thursday with a 6-3 win over Prairie Home in Boonville.

Payton Oeth made the start on the mound for Fayette, giving up one earned run on two hits in five innings while striking out 11. Kaleb Friebe came on in relief in the sixth, striking out one and allowing one hit.

The two teams started off the night with two scoreless innings before Fayette pulled ahead 2-0 in the top of the third on a flare over the second baseman’s head by shortstop Ethan Bean. After a strikeout by left fielder Hudson Conrow, right fielder Caleb Craig drew a walk to put runners on first and second for centerfielder Austin Kunze. Kunze lined a two-strike pitch to right, driving in Bean and advancing Craig to second. The next batter, catcher Friebe, then launched a double to score Craig and move Kunze to third. With the score 2-0, Oeth struck out swinging for the second out. Third baseman Corbin Tucker then drew a walk to load the bases for first baseman Thomas Elliott. Elliott struck out to end the inning.

After striking out the leadoff hitter in the bottom of the fourth, Oeth hit the second batter. That runner stole second then advanced to third on an error by Bean before the batter struck out looking, for the second out. The runner on third then scored an unearned run on a wild pitch making the score 2-1 in favor of Fayette. After giving up a triple, Oeth then struck out the next batter to end the inning. 

Prairie Home came back in the bottom of the fifth to knot the score at two, after Kunze dropped a ball in center allowing the batter to reach first. The next batter singled to put runners on first and second. After a strikeout, an error by Tucker allowed a runner to score before Oeth struck out the next batter to end the inning.

Fayette added four runs in the top of the sixth when Elliott beat out an infield hit to second to lead off the inning. Jacob Wood then drew a walk to give Fayette runners at first and second. That was the first of three straight walks issued by Prairie Home pitchers, with the second one to Parker LaValley and the third to Nathan Bean. Bean’s walk forced Elliott home to put Fayette ahead 3-2. Brodie Tucker struck out before Craig drew another walk to drive in Wood. With Prairie Home using its sixth pitcher of the night, Kunze drew a walk to score LaValley, only to be followed by Friebe being walked to drive in Nathan Bean making the score 6-2. Oeth then lined into a double play on a ball hit to the second baseman to end the inning.

In the bottom of the sixth, Oeth had reached his pitch limit requiring him and Friebe to switch positions with Oeth moving to catcher and Friebe moving to pitcher.

The Prairie Home leadoff batter reached first on an error before Friebe struck out the next batter. After a steal of second, and a wild pitch moved the runner to third, Friebe struck out the third batter for the second out of the bottom of the sixth. A wild pitch led to another run for Prairie Home drawing it to within three. The next batter singled to put runners at first and second before the runner on second attempted to steal third. Oeth would have none of that, firing the ball to Tucker at third, who made the tag for the third out, ending the game.

Friebe and Kunze led the Fayette offensive attack, each going one-for-three with two RBIs. Friebe had the only extra-base hit for Fayette with a double. Elliott, Wood, and Ethan Bean each delivered base hits for Fayette.

Fayette is led by head coach Brandon Friebe. His assistant is Kyle Elliott. This is the second year the two have been at the helm of the team which plays in the Junior Babe Ruth League in Boonville. All games are played at Twellman Field located at Harley Park.