Hawks move to 7-3 with wins over Fairfield, Van Buren

DONNELLSON – Zach Manwill’s walk-off single in the bottom of the eighth inning secured the seventh win for the Central Lee boys, a 5-4 win over Fairfield Friday night at Central Lee High School.
The Hawks trailed Fairfield 2-0 after the top of the fourth when  the Trojans scored a run each in the third and fourth.
Central Lee got things turned around in the bottom of the fourth when freshman Blake Davis singled and Manwill got hit by a pitch. Bo Herdrich then hit a 1-0 pitch over the left field fence for a 3-run homer with no outs. Kayden Calfee then walked and Chase Johnson singled to put runners on at 1st and 3rd. Calfee would score on a wild pitch, but Hunter Edlin would line into a double play catching Johnson at second for two outs. A ground out would end the inning with the Hawks up 4-2.
The Trojans would tie things up in the top of the 6th. A couple walks in between a strikeout and fly out would put two Trojans on with two outs. Gage Van Ausdall would come on in relief of Caedon Newton and surrender a walk and two singles to load the bases. Sophomore Dain Burkhart then singled to right for Fairfield to plate two and tie the game at 6.
Van Ausdall would get a ground out to end the inning, but the Hawks would go down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the sixth. Fairfield would get two baserunners in the top of the seventh but a strikeout and fly out ended the threat. The Hawks would again go down in order in the bottom of the seventh forcing at least an extra inning. Again two walks around two outs put a runner in scoring position, but Van Ausdall would get  a strike out to strand the two Trojans.
Then Cory Jones opened the bottom of the eighth wearing a pitch and Davis would follow with a single moving Jones to third. Manwill then stroked the game winner to center to give the Hawks (7-3, 3-2 SEI Superconference South) the win.
On Thursday, the Hawks knocked off Van Buren County 10-6. Davis had three hits including an RBI double in the second that spotted the Hawks to a 4-0 early lead. Van Buren would score five runs in the top of the 5th. Chase Johnson started the inning, but gave way to Herdrich who inherited three runners and gave up a couple runs and a 6-5 Van Buren lead.
But the Hawks responded with six runs of their own in the bottom of the fifth. After a strikeout to open the frame, the Hawks put two runners on with a single and hit batter. Edlin grounded into a fielder’s choice moving Calfee to third with two outs. He would score on a passed ball and then Kayden Ames would work a walk. Van Ausdall and Jones would both get plunked before Davis singled to right scoring Jones and Van Ausdall for a 9-5 lead the Hawks wouldn’t surrender. Manwill would drive in another run before the end of the inning.
Van Buren would score one in the top of the sixth, but Herdrich would retire the side with two strikeouts and a line out to center to end the game.
The Hawks travel to Mediapolis on Tuesday and Wapello on Wednesday in Superconference action.