Fairfield Lady Lions win against county rival McClain

LEESBURG — After three days off due to weather, the Fairfield Lady Lions hosted the McClain Lady Tigers Friday — under the lights — at the Fairfield Baseball/Softball Complex, winning the non-conference game by a 13-3 score.

The Lady Lions offense was the star of the game by scoring 13 runs on 19 hits. All nine batters in the Fairfield batting order had hits, including Sydney Hooper and Jobey Hattan each having four hits, and Faith Miller collected three hits. Sydney Sanders also blasted a sixth inning home run and had three RBI for the Lady Lions.

The McClain Lady Tigers scored two runs in the top of the first inning to take the lead. Fairfield scored one run in the bottom of the first inning as Sydney Hooper led off the game with an infield hit and later scored on a single by Jobey Hattan.

The Lady Lions took the lead with three unearned runs in the bottom of the third inning. Rilee Quickle and Jobey Hattan singled, Emmi Vance doubled into the right centerfield gap and Faith Miller singled.

McClain plated a run in the top of the third inning on singles by Gracie Bowers and Harley Peabody to close the gap to 4-3, but that is as close as they would get, as Fairfield exploded for four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning all with two outs. In the inning, Jaylie Duncan singled, Sydney Hooper singled, Rilee Quickle singled, Jobey Hattan tripled and Sydney Sanders singled.

Fairfield pitcher Katelyn Chambliss blanked McClain in the fifth and sixth innings, and the Lady Lions closed the game with four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Jobey Hattan singled to lead off the inning, and Sydney Sanders blasted a home run over the left centerfield fence to quickly make the score 11-3. 

Faith Miller singled, Jaylie Duncan was safe on an error, Katelyn Chambliss singled to centerfield to drive in Miller, Carly Sanders reached on a fielder’s choice and Sydney Hooper had an infield single to score Duncan with the game-ending run.

Leading hitters for the Fairfield Lady Lions: Sydney Hooper (4-for-5, double, 2 runs, 2 RBI), Rilee Quickle (2-for-4, 2 runs, 1 RBI), Jobey Hattan (4-for-4, triple, 3 runs, 2 RBI), Sydney Sanders (2-for-4, home run, 2 runs, 3 RBI), Emmi Vance (1-for-4, double, 1 RBI), Faith Miller (3-for-4, 2 runs), Jaylie Duncan (1-for-4, 2 runs), Katelyn Chambliss (1-for-4, 1 RBI) and Carly Sanders (1-for-3, 1 RBI).

Katelyn Chambliss (4-1) was the winning pitcher for Fairfield. Her pitching line: six innings, five hits, three runs, three earned runs, five walks and four strikeouts. 

Gracie Bowers suffered the loss for McClain.  Her pitching line: 5.6 innings, 19 hits, 13 runs, nine earned runs, no walks and no strikeouts.