(From Fulton) The Railroaders edge past the Miners to win 3-1 in Fulton with the only scores coming for both teams in a single inning.
Good pitching and defense held each side scoreless through 4 innings. Top of the fifth, EJ Watson (2-for-4) led off with a single and made home plate on a RBI double by JD Minor (2-for-4).
Bottom half of the fifth, the Railroaders answered with 3 runs. Griffin Neuer walked and made third base on a Clay Reece (2-for-4) single who then stole second. A RBI groundout by Brad Baldwin drove in Neuer to tie the game and moved Reece to third. Ramon Valdez follow with a walk and reach second on a pass ball. A two out double for Kyle Uhrich (2-for-4) yielded 2 RBI for Fulton to complete the scoring.
Relief pitching and defense continued to shutdown both offenses for the remainder of the game. The Railroader left 11 men on base and the Miners stranded 12 runners.
Starter Dillon Symon earned the win for Fulton for 7 innings, giving up 7 hits, one earned run, 4 walks and had 3 strikeouts. Lee Haeberle threw for one inning with one hit, a walk and one strikeout. Kyle Estand finished the final inning for a save with no hits or walks and stuck out one batter.
Taking the hard loss for Madisonville was starter Mathias Brewers who pitched for 5 innings allowing 6 hits, 3 runs (2 earned), 3 walks, and struck out 8 at the plate. Wesley Birchmeier threw for 2 innings in middle relief, no hits 3 walks and 2 strikeouts. Cameron Smith completed the final inning giving up only one hit.
Both teams are now 17-13 on season in second and third place with the Miners better head-to-head winning 5 of 9 games between the two. The teams meet one more time in Madisonville on Wednesday, July 15 to complete their regular season series.
The first place Dubois County Bombers remain ahead in the standings by 3½ games, and were idle on Friday due to weather in Owensboro with the Oilers.
A complete Box Score of the game is available HERE.
