EXETER – The Exeter Express men's baseball opened their 2010 playoff run Friday with a 5-2 road win over the Lakeside Lizards.

Chris Gosnell pitched a complete game for the Express, striking out 10 batters, walking five and giving up six singles and a double.

Exeter managed 11 hits on the evening and played solid defensively, according to manager Doug Fairbairn.

Jake Draper, Dan Masse, Aaron Patterson, Mike Seip and Vic Olivera hit one single apiece for the Express, while Chad Cowan had two singles. Adam Leppington had a double, while Shawn O'Sullivan had a single and a triple.

Bob Grant also managed a triple in the game.

"This was really a team effort," Fairbairn said. "We played solid defensively and Goose (Gosnell) had another dominant pitching performance.”

Fairbairn said the Express have always had a tough time beating Lakeside, "so to take Game 1 in this series feels pretty good."

Still, he said the team realizes it was only one game.

"We have never beaten Lakeside in a series, so we have a long way to go," Fairbairn added.

Game 2 of the series was scheduled for last Sunday night in Exeter but was rained out and will be made up this coming Friday in London, with Game 3 set for Aug. 15 at 2 p.m. in Exeter.

Express players headed to nationals
Two Express players – Derek Masse and Bob Grant – have been selected to play with Ilderton in the Baseball Canada 2010 Senior Men Championship in Nova Scotia Aug. 26-29.

Fairbairn told the Times-Advocate Ilderton qualified for the tournament in a provincial championship in London over Civic Holiday weekend.

He said Ilderton was allowed to add players to its roster and selected Masse and Grant.
"Good luck to Derek, Bob and the Ilderton team," Fairbairn said.