Upon entering Busch Stadium on Sunday one Fayette player summed up the entire day in one word. He looked around and said, “Wow.”

Wow, indeed! 

Players from both Harrisburg and Fayette may have suffered from a few butterflies on Sunday as they observed the enormity of the stage on which they were playing. Before long they settled down and began playing their game. Even so, there was a certain amount of giddiness displayed by both teams as they checked out their surroundings. After all, they were playing on a Major League field where some of their favorite players have walked. To some it was a surreal experience, Some waited for an opportune moment to reach down and grab a little dirt to take home with them. One even brought a zip-lock bag in which secure it.

The players exhibited nervous excitement as they lined up prior to entering the stadium to have their equipment bags checked as friends and family looked on. It almost felt as if the parents were sending their sons off to college or the military as hugs were exchanged and “I love yous” given.

Once the bags were checked, each team was led to their respective dugout by an usher, Fayette to the third-base side and Harrisburg to the first-base side. Every player seemed to hesitate for just a moment as they stepped from the stands onto the field, transitioning from a fan to playing on a Major League field. It truly was a lot to take in. It wasn’t just the players, however. It was the coaches and umpires as well. And if I’m completely honest with myself, the reporters, too. We all were completely overcome by the enormity of the place upon which we were standing—so much so that the game took a back seat to the event.

The game, eventually won by Harrisburg, was what most would consider a blowout. Fayette lost 17-5 in a six-and-a-half-inning affair. Both coaches utilized free substitution in an effort to be able to get as many players into the game as possible. Harrisburg carried 19 players on its roster while Fayette utilized 15.

Even with the lopsided score, the game did not seem as uneven as the score would indicate. Harrisburg held only a 2-0 lead after two innings. In the third inning, the Bulldogs found a way to score four more runs to make the score 6-0. Fayette fought back with two runs in the top of the fourth only to be answered with three by Harrisburg in the bottom of the inning. The Falcons scored two more in the fifth. The Bulldogs responded with four in the bottom of the same inning. The sixth inning found Fayette scoring one, while Harrisburg put four more on the board. Fayette was unable to score in the seventh as the two-and-a-half-hour time limit expired.

Harrisburg’s Logan Fritts stood out on offense as he went two for three with a double and four runs batted in while playing third base and pitching.

Bryce Ott finished the game going 2-2 for the Bulldogs as did Austin Starbuck.

For the Falcons, Haden Kelly was unable to start the game as he had travel ball commitments. Fortunately, his travel team was playing in the St. Louis area which allowed him to arrive mid-game and get two at-bats. Kelly made the most of those plate appearances with two extra-base hits. He hit a double in addition to a triple to deep center.

Fayette catcher Payton Oeth also earned a single and a double, driving in a run during the game.

Fayette’s pitching duties fell to Tyler Bartholomew, Mason Sappington, and Chris Brown. Trevor Smoot, Logan Fritts, Hunter Cole, and Anthony Alicea toed the rubber for Harrisburg. The Bulldog quartet combined for 15 Fayette strikeouts. Fayette pitchers struck out eight batters on the day. 

Both teams managed to leave seven runners on base.