Fletcher 4 - Englewood 2

The Fletcher Senators (8-7) won in a hard-fought and energetic battle against district rival Englewood tonight at Fletcher.  Fletcher was losing 2-0 when starting pitcher Justin Preckajlo left the game in the fifth, at which point Jason Hiers relieved him.  Hiers' pitching along with superb defense allowed Fletcher to hang around the ball game long enough to be within one run in the bottom of the seventh inning.  David Eldredge got the offense going with a one-out double to right center.  Speedy Chris Guisti then immediately replaced him on the base-path.  They then walked Hiers to get runners at 1st and 2nd and still only one out, to bring Ryan Schmitz up to bat.  Schmitz bunted the ball perfectly into the 'Bermuda triangle' and when the first baseman got to the ball, he realized he had no shot at getting Schmitz out, and lazily attempted to field the ball and let it under his glove, giving Guisti enough time to fly around third and score.

This was all they would manage to get in that inning after a failed squeeze and strikeout ended the rally, but they didn't let that stop them in the next inning.  Devin Gonzalez lead the inning off with a double, bringing Preckajlo to the dish.  'Stash' put the second pitch he saw over the center field fence for his second walk-off homer of the season (Stanton being the other).  He now leads the city in home runs with seven.  This game was a huge confidence builder, but also gives Fletcher a needed district and conference win.