A doubleheader sweep has caused a change at the top of the Southeast Conference baseball standings. The Washington Demon baseball team (3-4 overall; 2-2 Southeast) sat in first place entering league play Thursday night against the No. 3 Fairfield Trojans (4-3 overall; 2-0 Southeast). Washington dropped the pair of showdowns, a 5-4 game one loss in eight innings and 16-4 setback in game two in six innings.

An unlikely stolen base became the difference in the opening contest. After two scoreless innings, Washington scored the first runs of the game in the third inning, stringing together five straight singles and scoring a trio of runs for a 3-0 advantage. Fairfield answered in the fourth inning with two runs on a single hit, cutting the deficit to 3-2. After a scoreless fifth inning, Fairfield took their first lead in the top of the sixth, producing two runs on three doubles to take a 4-3 lead. Washington evened the score in the bottom half of the inning as a Michael Ellingson single scored freshman Jacob Hall, tying the game 4-4. After a scoreless seventh inning forced extra inning, Fairfiield senior Cody Craff became the Trojans hero in the eighth inning. Craff reached base on a one out single, and recorded the first stole base of his career. The ensuing at bat saw Freshman Cade Lisk smacked an double, plating Craff for the go ahead run. Washington’s Bryce Craff reached base in the eighth on a dropped third strike, and made it second base before a strike out ended the first game, 5-4.

Game two was dominated by the Trojans’ offense, scoring 16 runs on 17 hits, and cruising to a 16-4 victory over Washington. Sophomore Michael Gier reached base four times for the Demons in the pair of games, recording a triple, scoring two runs, forcing a walk and striking out twice. He also pitched five and a third innings in game one, allowing four runs on four hits, walking three and striking out three others to take a no decision.

The pair of wins puts the Trojans in sole possession of first place in the Southeast Conference, improving their overall record to 4-3. The losses drop Washington’s overall record to 3-4.

Washington returns to the diamond on Monday evening, traveling south to face the Keokuk Chiefs in a Southeast Conference doubleheader tilt.