FAIRFIELD, Conn. The Fairfield Ludlowe baseball team suffered a setback in its quest for a conference playoff spot, but Tommy Howell saved the Falcons pride in their last home game of the season.
One strike away from being no-hit by Brien McMahon ace Bryan Daniello, Howell blooped a single into right field for Ludlowes lone hit. The Falcons avoided the no-hitter but fell to McMahon, 5-1.
We knew runs would be hard to come by, as Daniello proved over six-and-two-thirds, Ludlowe coach Keith ORourke said. McMahon got no-hit just the other day, so Im sure their coach pumped them up before this one.
After scoring their only run in the first inning on a walk, an error and a sacrifice fly by Mike Poudrier, the Falcons were shut down by Daniello. McMahons ace struck out eight and retired 17 in a row.
Tim Moran was knocked around for nine hits in 6 2/3 innings and was charged with all five of McMahons runs. McMahons big blow on offense came courtesy of a two-run double by Joe Cox in the fifth.
The loss puts Ludlowe in a tough spot entering the final two games of the regular season. Currently 11th in the conference standings, the Falcons need to win their final two games and get help from other teams to clinch a conference playoff berth.
Some crazy things have to happen for us to get in, but we just have to worry about our next game, ORourke said.
Ludlowe travels to Trumbull on Wednesday for a 6 p.m. game.
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