Faribault VFW splits doubleheader with Rochester

Missing their best hitter in Dominic Erickson, Faribault VFW played well in both games of a recent doubleheader, managing to pick up the victory in game two.

It was tied 3-3 in the fifth inning of the first game, in which Faribault VFW was hanging tough, scraping together three runs with only one hit. Ben Cunniff started in the first game, throwing 98 pictures, 65 for strikes. He kept a potent Century offense to three runs in the first five innings.

In the sixth inning, Century was able to get two runs with a couple errors and a couple of hits to chase Cunniff out of the game. Carter Quinlan would come on and pitch the last three innings, giving up three runs in what was ultimately an 8-3 loss.

Down 3-0 in that first game, Faribault got on the board in the fourth, thanks to some wild pitches by Century’s starting pitcher Andrew Kinneberg, with some Falcons getting hit. Gavin Erickson scored to make it 3-1.

They would score two more to tie it up, while only collecting one hit in the inning. Two Faribault runners got on base from getting hit by the pitcher then a two-base error by Century’s shortstop led to their second run. Lane Tingalia singled to score Grant Koch to make it 3-3 after five innings.

Century pulled away from the tie score with three runs in the sixth and two more in the seventh to make a close game a blowout.

A much cleaner second game was in play in the back half of a twin bill. Faribault’s first win in six games resulted from a complete effort by the whole team in the 4-2 win Sunday at Bell Field.

Faribault jumped out to the lead at the bottom of the first inning. After a passed ball scored one run, Tinaglia singled scoring two runs and making it 3-0. Faribault added one more run in the second, as Gavin Erickson singled, scoring Harley Llamas.

Up 4-1 after two innings, that was all the runs needed in the eventual win.

Luke Schumacher earned the win for Faribault. He was solid on the mound, allowing three hits and two runs, with only one earned, over five innings. He struck out seven, walking two.

Tinaglia, Luke Mcrea, Erickson and Ayden Qualey had the only hits in the game for Faribault in the win.

Next up is a game against Kasson Post 333 on Monday July 15, followed by a game against Stewartville July 16. Faribault is now 6-8 on the year with four games remaining on the regular season schedule.