Exeter Express

EXETER – The Exeter Express won twice last week to improve their record to 9-2 in their Southwestern Senior Baseball League (SSBL) season.

The Express opened the week with a wild 18-11 win over the Lakeside Lizards at Alvin Willert Field. Express manager Doug Fairbairn noted it wasn’t a well-played game. “This game was not very well played by either team,” he said. “When you give up 11 runs in a game you certainly don’t expect to win.”

Terry Hogg started on the mound for Exeter and gave up six earned runs over two innings of work. Hogg allowed five singles, walked three and struck out one.

He was relieved by Mitch Masse, who allowed five runs over the next five innings. Masse gave up six singles, two doubles and a home run, walked four and stuck out two. Chris Gosnell came on in the eighth inning in relief and pitched two scoreless frames, striking out four. On offence, the Express pounded out 20 hits.

The team was paced offensively by Taylor Patterson who singled, doubled and tripled, and Chris Pfaff who hit two doubles and a home run.

Adam Leppington and Adam Darling contributed three singles each and Mitch Masse and Chris Gosnell each added a single and double. Fairbairn said the highlight of the game for him was the offensive showing of Patterson and Pfaff. “These guys are 19 years old and it’s hard to imagine they’re playing as well as they are at that age,” he said. “I’ve been involved with senior baseball for almost 40 years now and I can tell you young players like them don’t come along very often.”

Express shut out Ilderton

The Express headed to Ilderton June 27 and defeated the Red Army by a 2-0 score.

Derek Masse started for the Express, allowing six singles and striking out six in a complete game shutout.

“This was a well-played game by both teams,” Fairbairn noted. “As he typically does, Derek kept us in the game long enough for us to scratch out a couple of runs.”

Aaron Patterson and Chris Pfaff led Exeter’s offence with two singles each, while Leppington and Conrad Julien each added a base hit.

The Express had their game against the London Bills June 28 rained out.

The team is next in action July 5 at 6 p.m. at Norm Aldridge Field in London in the first game of the Lakeside tournament.