Fayette and New Franklin squared off in what turned out to be a pitchers’ duel for the first baseball game of the season Monday evening in New Franklin. The Bulldogs picked up the 3-1 win in front of their home crowd on the stellar pitching of senior ace Clayton Wilmsmeyer with a save by junior Tanner Bishop.

Senior Haden Kelly pitched a complete game for the Falcons, allowing only three earned runs on seven hits with four walks and four strikeouts.

While his team finished on the downside of the scoreboard, second-year Fayette head coach Andy Oeth was all smiles after the game. The Falcons have struggled in the diamond for decades and lost this game 17-1 a year ago. Their best season in recent years came in 2014 when they finished 9-9 overall. While Monday’s opener was still a loss, allowing only three runs from a perennially solid New Franklin team was a significant leap forward.

“If someone doesn’t believe in moral victories, they’ve never coached or played high school sports,” Oeth said. “We would like to see the numbers switched, but this is a big-time step forward for our program. I’m very proud of these guys.”

Fayette struck first in the top of the first inning. With two outs, the Falcons strung together three singles. Freshman catcher Payton Oeth reached on a hard ground ball to center field and advanced to third on a grounder to center by Kelly. He came home on a liner to center by sophomore Thomas Elliott.

Coach Oeth said he couldn’t help but feel the emotion watching his son cross the plate for the team’s first run of the season. “I was trying to keep it back a little bit. I’m so thrilled for him. I’m really excited for him.”

New Franklin evened the score in the bottom of the second on a sacrifice fly. Junior catcher Drew Rhorer led off the inning with a walk. He rounded second and went to third on the throw during a sacrifice bunt by junior second baseman Sawyer Felten. Two batters later, a sacrifice fly to center field by freshman Lane Hackman allowed Rhorer to tag up and knot the score at 1-1.

“I thought Sawyer’s bunt was huge,” said New Franklin coach Erich Gerding.

Wilmsmeyer found his rhythm on the mound in the top of the third inning. The senior struck out the side with all three batters going down swinging. He then helped his own cause at the plate in the bottom of the fourth, driving in Hackman from second on a ground ball to Fayette third baseman Kaleb Friebe that turned into a double.

New Franklin added one more run in the bottom of the sixth when Wilmsmeyer delivered his second double in a row. A line drive to center field once again sent in Hackman, this time all the way from first base.

Down by two with one inning left to play, the Falcons didn’t go down without a fight. Senior Mason Sappington went down swinging at a 3-2 delivery from Bishop for the first out. Senior Malakai Graves grounded out for the second out of the frame.

Bishop delivered his fourth strikeout of the game with three straight pitches to end the inning and earn the save for the Bulldogs.

“I thought our pitchers did a great job,” Gerding said. “Defensively, I thought we did pretty well. We didn’t have some things that went our way in the top of the first period. But we didn’t get rattled. We kept our composure.”

Wilmsmeyer allowed one earned run on four hits and a walk. He retired eight batters on strikes in four innings on the mound.

“He looked good. He’s going to compete for us,” Gerding said. “Once he gets into it a little bit more, and the weather gets better, he’s going to look a little sharper. He’s nice and smooth and has lots of experience. I’m pretty confident with him on the mound, as we are with several other guys we have.”

Bishop allowed just two baserunners on a walk and an error in the top of the sixth. Otherwise, he didn’t give up a hit or a run and finished with four strikeouts in three innings of relief. 

Kelly pitched all six innings for Fayette, throwing 106 pitches in his senior pitching debut. Coach Oeth said he felt confident leaving him in the game with the high pitch count because he doesn’t plan to use him on the mound until next Monday. “I thought, let’s go ahead and get him some work early in the season. He’s got the stamina and strength for it. I thought it was important to let him go the distance. He’s a guy you can trust to eat up a lot of innings.

“Hayden did things efficiently and effectively. He let his defense work,” continued Coach Oeth. “Hayden is one of those guys who just fills up the strike zone and lets his defense take care of it. Today, they really did. He just puts these players on his back, and they work hard for him. I’m so thrilled with how they backed him up today.”

At the plate, Fayette compiled four hits with two walks but struck out 12 times and stranded five runners on base. Kelly led the way at the plate with a single and a double. Payton Oeth and Elliott each delivered singles.

“I would have loved to see us produce more than one run,” said Coach Oeth. “This offense will explode eventually. We have some guys who need to be more efficient at the plate, working the count, and things like that.”

The New Franklin offense had a reasonably productive first game during blustery conditions that kept even the hardest-hit ball inside the park. The Bulldogs drove in three runs on seven hits with four walks and only four strikeouts. Batting second in the lineup, Clayton Wilmsmeyer went 2-for-4 with two doubles and drove in two runs. Hackman drove in one run on two hits and scored twice. Bishop went 2-for-4 with two singles and a walk.

“Offensively, it’s going to come,” Gerding said. “It usually gets better with the weather as well.

“Credit to Fayette,” he added. “Kelly pitched a good game. They came out swinging and were aggressive. They played to win.”

New Franklin finished 12-6 last year, and 13-6 in 2021.

Both teams were scheduled to play Tuesday evening after the Advertiser went to press. The Bulldogs were set to host Class 4 Moberly at 5 p.m. New Franklin will end the week with back-to-back games Thursday and Friday at Jamestown and at home against Sacred Heart.

The Falcons hoped the rain would hold off so they could host Stover for their home opener at the newly renovated Central Methodist University field. The first pitch was scheduled for 5 p.m.

Fayette will host Class 4 Centralia on Friday and close the three-game home stand against Cole Camp on Monday. The Falcons travel to Glasgow next Tuesday. All games start at 5 p.m.