Kaiti White K’s 15 in Fairfield season-opening win against Blue Lions
The Fairfield Lady Lions began the 2018 softball season with 10 hits and a shutout by defeating the host Washington Lady Blue Lions, 8-0.
Fairfield junior pitcher Kaiti White allowed just two hits while striking out 15 Washington batters en route to the season-opening win. Fairfield’s offense was equally impressive with 10 hits, as junior first baseman Lyndee Spargur had three hits to lead Fairfield. In all, eight different FHS batters finished with hits.
The Fairfield Lady Lion defense also played well with just one error in the top of the seventh inning. The defensive play of the game was a sliding catch of a sinking line drive by Lady Lion left fielder Madi Fox.
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Fairfield wasted no time, scoring three runs in the top of the first inning, beginning with the Lady Blue Lion defense playing very shallow and lead-off hitter Lyndee Spargur took advantage as she drove an outside pitch to the fence in left-centerfield for a double. Carli Reiber laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Spargur to third base. White was safe on an infield hit to drive home Spargur. Hayleigh Lowe entered as a courtesy runner for White. Emily Williams singled to centerfield and when the ball got by the outfielder, Lowe raced all the way home as Williams advanced to second base. Williams later scored on a wild pitch.
The FHS Lady Lions scored two more runs in the top of the second inning. With one out, Megan Gragg and Layla Hattan had consecutive singles. Spargur moved the runners to second third on a sacrifice bunt. Reiber came up with a big two-out single to right field to drive in Gragg and Hattan.
Fairfield took a 7-0 lead with two more runs in the top of the fourth with Megan Gragg drawing a walk to lead off the inning. Hattan hit into a force out as Gragg was out at second base. Spargur singled to advance Hattan to second base and Reiber walked to load the bases. White was safe at first on a fielder’s choice as the fielder threw home too late to catch a sliding Hattan. Williams then grounded out to first base to drive in Spargur.
Fairfield completed the scoring in the top of the sixth inning. Spargur led off the inning with a single. Reiber grounded out but moved Spargur to third base. Williams was safe on an error that scored Spargur.
Leading hitters for the Lady Lions were: Spargur (3-for-4, three runs, double, sac bunt), Reiber (1-for-3, sac bunt, two RBI), White (1-for-4, one run, one RBI), Williams (1-for-4, one run, one RBI), Molly Thackston (1-for-3), Ashley Sanderson (1-for-1), Gragg (1-for-3, one run) and Hattan (1-for-3, two runs).
White (1-0) was the winning pitcher for Fairfield. She pitched seven innings, allowng no runs on two hits, no walks and 15 strikeouts. Jordan Kearns (0-1) suffered the loss for Washington.
Fairfield will travel to Lynchburg-Clay to play the Lady Mustangs on Tuesday, March 27 at 5 p.m.