Rall said Fain did just about everything right.
"Getting some runs early was a big left to him and he could relax a bit more. He really pitched a smart ballgame, and that's the best he's been all year as far as staying ahead of the hitters," Rall said.
"I'm just proud of the guys. I guess that's the first time we've beaten Danville in I don't know how long. People probably don't even remember the last time we beat them. The guys are beside themselves."
Danville coach Paul Morse was also beside himself.
"By far the worst game we've played all year," Morse said. "We didn't pitch today, everybody out there was behind in the count. They've got guys who can swing the bats, and when you're behind in the count, they're going to swing the bats.
(We) didn't play much defense and definitely didn't hit the ball. Jacob Fain did a great job of throwing the ball, and he kept us off balance."
Danville beat Garrard 11-0 last week and had won nine straight meetings since its last loss to Garrard in 2004, but the Lions turned the tables quickly on Wednesday.
Jameson DeBord got Garrard going with a solo homer to left in the first inning off of Michael Evans. Danville tied the game in the bottom of the first when Duran Elmore doubled and later scored on Jeff Embree's sacrifice fly.
Garrard takes charge
But it was all Garrard from there. The Lions did most of their damage before Danville could even get an out.
DeBord led off the third inning with a double down the left-field line and took third on a wild pitch. The throw to third was high, and the throw home to try to get DeBord was also high.
Tyler Murphy then walked, which knocked Evans out of the game. He was replaced by Dustin Sparrow.
Murphy advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on Wyler's double. After Evan Preston's single to center, Fain singled in Wyler.
Danville finally got an out, and Michael Riley struck out but made it to first when the ball got away from Embree. Preston then scored on Justin Ray's single as the Lions led 5-1.
In the fourth, DeBord led off with a single, took second on a wild pitch and got to third on Murphy's single. Sparrow's pickoff attempt of Murphy went astray and DeBord scored and Murphy advanced to third. Wyler then lined Sparrow's pitch out of the park for a two-run homer as Garrard led 9-1.
Preston then reached on an error and later scored on a wild pitch, Fain singled and pinch-runner Tyler Miniard scored on Will DeMarcus' sacrifice fly as Garrard led 10-1 after four innings.
Garrard went up 11-1 in the fifth when Preston singled in Murphy. But the Admirals avoided being run-ruled in the bottom of the fifth when Hunter May singled and came around to third when Fain's pickoff attempt was wide. May was almost caught in a rundown, but that throw went into the Danville dugout, allowing him to score and make it 11-2.
In the seventh, Garrard went back up by 10 runs when DeBord walked, advanced to third on two wild pitches and scored on Preston's single.
Garrard has won two of its last three games and has scored 36 runs in it last three games.
"It's pretty contagious when guys start hitting," Rall said. "We're starting to hit real well as a team and it has a big factor as a team. It was contagious and they started believing the could win the game."
Evans took the loss for Danville - its first in seven games - giving up three runs over two innings. Sparrow allowed seven runs over two innings.
"For whatever reason today, they came out mentally prepared and played with the attitude they had nothing to lose. And our guys were kind of back of their heels," Morse said. "I don't know if it's because we run-ruled them last week and they thought the same thing as going to happen just by showing up or whatever. But they were fired up from the get-go."
* * *
Garrard County . . . . 1-0-4-5-1-0-1 --2-14-3
Danville . . . . . . . . . . 1-0-0-0-1-0-0 -- 2-4-5
Jacob Fain and Christian Wyler. Michael Evans, Dustin Sparrow (3), Hunter Terry (5), Cody Vest (6) and Jeff Embree. W-Fain. L-Evans. 2B-Duran Elmore (D), Jameson DeBord (GC), Wyler (GC). HR-Jameson DeBord (GC), Wyler (GC).
