Fava homer propels Lee to extra innings win

By Josh Troy
Clarksdale Advocate

Junior Tanner Fava made the key plays from the plate and on the mound to help Lee Academy open the baseball season with a 10-4 win in eight innings at Carroll Academy on Monday. The game was tied 3-3 at the end of regulation, but Fava connected on a three-run homer in the top of the eighth inning in route to the victory. There was one out with runners on second and third bases, and the count was 0-1 when Fava homered.

“He started off with a curveball,” Fava said. “I saw the spin out of his hand. The next pitch was a 75-mile an hour fastball right down the middle, and I just hit it hard.” Fava threw the last two innings, recorded three strikeouts, gave up one run, and was the winning pitcher.
Fava is also a middle infielder and played second base for the other six innings. He finished with two hits on, a single and homer.

Fava said playing three sports helps him contribute in different ways on the baseball field.
“I play a few sports, football, baseball, and track, and that helps me be athletic,” he said.
Colts coach Jamell Newson praised Fava’s performance. “He kind of sealed the deal for us after putting up a couple of runs,” Newson said, “That home run really helped us out.” Lee trailed 2-1, tied things up at 2-2, and took a 3-2 lead before the Rebels again evened the score and sent the game into extra innings.

Junior William Walker had several infield singles,  and Aidan Byrd had a sacrifice bunt, several singles, and a double. Senior Ryan Mooney started the game and recorded seven strikeouts, and senior Rylan Ferracci had three innings and recorded at least two strikeouts. Fava closed the game in the final two innings. “It meant a lot to start off the season with a ‘w,’” Fava said. Newson agreed. “It’s good,” he said. “It brings a lot more intensity into the season to do it that way. So the guys kind of see how our pitching’s going to be, and hitters get more depth.”

Lee is scheduled to host Washington School at 6 p.m. tonight. “They’re looking pretty stout with a lot of returners,” said Newson of Washington School. “Patrick Spencer’s going to be on the mound for them, possibly, depending on how the weather goes. The rain pushing in is going to be one where we kind of have to see how much the field can hold water.”
Zach Connell is scheduled to start for the Colts. “He’s going to come in fresh and do other things to help us out as well,” Newson said. Newson said Lee has three to five pitchers capable of starting. He added Bram Harris, who recorded six or seven strikeouts in the Colts junior varsity game at Carroll Academy, could also be a starter.
The Colts’ games will be broadcast live on Lee Academy’s website.