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Timberlane's Faia answers call

Friday, May, 07 By Hector Longo

PLAISTOW, N.H. – John Faia stood in waiting, hoping for the call that through the first half of the spring season went most likely to his brother Matt or teammate P.J. Singster.       

Yesterday, Faia’s cell rang and the Timberlane Regional senior righty seized the opportunity with five sharp innings, anchoring the Owls’ 7-4 win over Salem.

“I’ve just been in the bullpen and coach called my number,” said Faia. “(Salem is) high up there in the standings. I was a little nervous, I came out, just put it in there and tried to get outs. I just want to pitch innings. It doesn’t really matter where, as long as I can help the team.”

The victory over the rival Blue Devils capped a 2-1 Timberlane week, making it four wins in the last five for the 5-5 Owls.

“John kept them off balance for five innings,” said Timberlane coach Jamie Fish. “we needed a big game from him today, and he gave it to us.”

Faia, who had worked solely out of the bullpen this spring, looked quite at home in notching his first win of the year.

Allowing only single Salem runs in the second and fifth innings, Faia spaced six hits and three walks with one strikeout before yielding his brother John, who mopped up in the final pair.

Timberlane took care of business offensive end, right from the start, plating five runs before the Blue Devils recorded an out, six total in the bottom half of the first.

Four walks helped fuel the fire. Faia slapped a two-run double, as did the right-fielder Singster.

The margin proved more than enough for Faia, who along with Matt stranded a dozen Salem runners on the base paths.

Timberlane finished with only five hits – with Matt Faia, Singster and Lucas Alper chipping in singles – but the fine pitching, especially with runners on made it work for the Owls.

Salem endured a particularly frustrating day in falling to 7-4.

Matt Gioia led the attack with three hits, and Joe Morin, Shaun Yelle and Darren Brown all had two apiece. But a 3-for-15 afternoon with runners in scoring position told the tale of woe for the Blue Devils.

The lack of punch when it counted spoiled a valiant relief effort from Dan Peters, who allowed only one run over six full innings. 

Both teams remain in solid shape at the midpoint as far as the race to the Class L playoffs is concerned.

Salem sits seventh and the Owls 10^th.

“I like where we are at right now,” said John Faia. “We’ve been in a lot of close ballgames and we’re fighting. We’ve got a lot of fight in us. I’m happy with us right now.”