DARLINGTON — The Redbirds entered Friday’s league game against the Golden Eagles having already clinched a share of the SWAL title, but Darlington had no plans of sharing the championship with Mineral Point. 

Darlington claimed an outright SWAL title with a 13-3 mercy-rule victory over Fennimore on May 17. The win was a big statement in conference, as the Golden Eagles had defeated the Pointers 5-2 on May 14, ensuring Darlington got a share of the title.

“It’s pretty nice,” senior Reagan Jackson said. “I’m really happy with how it ended up, and how we came together as a team and got it done.”

Darlington took advantage of 10 Fennimore errors, scoring 12 unearned runs. Maddox Goebel was the only Redbird to have a multiple-hit game, going 2-for-4 with three runs scored. Jackson and Zeke Zuberbuhler drove in two runs each.

Fennimore looked up to the task in the first inning, though, putting one run on the board against Darlington’s starting pitcher Gage Banfield. Macoy Miles led off with a triple to center that sent Maddox Goebel crashing into the fence. Banfield got up on the next batter 0-2, but Casey Dresen still drove in a run with a sacrifice fly. 

Banfield got out of the inning with just one run scored with a strikeout and fly out.

The Redbird offense had its pitcher’s back, scoring two runs in the bottom of the frame. Maddox Goebel and Breylin Goebel reached on back-to-back errors by third baseman Shawn. With two outs, Fennimore starting pitcher Tyson Starkey hit Banfield to load the bases. Zuberbuhler then came up clutch with a two-RBI double up the middle.

“Put the ball in play, good things happen. Hit the ball hard, good things happen,” Zuberbuhler said. “We just hustled out of the box and forced them to make some errors.” 

After Darlington took a 2-1 lead, Banfield had a shutdown inning in the second. He faced just four batters, inducing a fly out, ground out and striking out the final batter.

Errors continued to plague the Eagles in the second, leading to a five-run inning for the Redbirds. Carson Mosley reached on an error by shortstop Miles. Leadoff batter Tye Crist lined a single to center, and Wyat Ahnen’s errant throw allowed both runners to move up 90 feet.

Maddox Goebel then delivered an RBI single to center. Another run scored on Breylin Goebel’s sacrifice fly to center. Ahnen, who attempted to throw Tye Crist out at home after tagging up, missed the cut and allowed Maddox Goebel to take second on the throw.

Jackson kept the inning rolling with a single and stole second to put two runners into scoring position. Zuberbuhler then drew a two-out five-pitch walk to load the bases. Talan Crist reached on an error, and Dante Glendenning singled to left to score two more runs.

In the second inning, Darlington sent 10 batters to the plate and scored five runs. None of them were earned.

Fennimore had a two-out rally going in the third with back-to-back singles from Dresen and Sheckler, but Banfield left them stranded with a strikeout of Tyson Gehrke.

A pitching change for the Eagles didn’t alter the team mojo, as Tye Crist and Maddox Goebel reached on back-to-back errors. Breylin Goebel drew a five-pitch walk to load the bases, and Jackson drove one in with a sacrifice fly to center. 

The Eagles pushed two runs across in the second with two errors and two RBI hits. Jahnke-Fiedler drew a four-pitch walk and advanced to second on a failed pick-off play by Banfield. Brock Henkel hit a liner to left that Tye Crist nearly made a diving play on, but he dropped the ball and fumbled the throw, allowing Henkel to take second. Ahnen then hit an RBI single to left to make it an 8-3 game.

Banfield got out of the jam by turning a double play. Dresen hit a liner right back at Banfield, who flipped to first to double up Ahnen.

Darlington batted around the order again in a five-run fourth, where the Redbirds built up a 10-run lead.

Talan Crist reached on an error by Jahnke-Fiedler — his fourth of the game — and Glendenning drew a full-count walk. Eagle catcher Sheckler attempted to back pick Talan Crist at second, but his throw went into the outfield, allowing Talan Crist to take third. Tye Crist drove him in with a sacrifice fly, as Talan Crist evaded Sheckler with a slide by. 

Maddox Goebel singled, and Breylin Goebel drew a four-pitch walk to load the bases. Jackson was hit by a pitch, tallying the RBI. Maddox Goebel and Jackson came around to score on wild pitches, making it a 13-3 game.