Fairfield forces extra innings; swept by Huntington
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
LEESBURG — Though the Fairfield Lions lost via run-rule to the Huntington Huntsmen in the first game of their doubleheader Saturday afternoon, the second contest was much more competitive, as the Lions forced extra innings, but the rally ran short as they were swept in their weekend twin bill.
In game one, the Lions lost 16-4, then they dropped the second game by a score of 8-5 in eight innings.
"For the first six or so innings, we acted like we couldn't spell base or ball, but we played well for the remainder of the day," FHS head coach Matt Garman said. "We played well when we had our heads into the game. I was proud with the way we made the comeback and forced extra innings."
The second game of the twin bill saw the Lions trail 5-0 after the top of the fourth inning.
That was OK, because what could have been easy for the Lions to call it a day and go through the motions didn't occur.
[[In-content Ad]]In fact, the Lions (1-2, 5-6) began a rally that went to the bottom of the seventh inning, as they chiseled away at the Huntsmen lead, inning by inning, eventually tying the score at 5-5 to force extra innings.
Fairfield's scoring began in the fourth as they added two runs in the bottom half of the inning, with Isaiah Liggins and Dylan Rohde crossing home plate. Liggins scored on a base hit by Caleb Huff on a 0-1 count with two outs. The second run of the inning came when Rohde scored on single by Blake Hildebrant, again on a 0-1 count. Liggins reached the bases on a walk and Rohde singled.
Quintin Schaffer scored the Lions' third run of game two in the bottom of the fifth, as he led off the inning with a walk on four pitches. Schaffer moved to second on a wild pitch and rounded the bases on a RBI single off the bat Liggins.
Liggins forced three walks in the game and had one hit.
Needing two runs to extend the game in the seventh inning, the Lions began the inning with a lead-off single by Wyatt Crothers (on a 3-2 count), followed by a base hit from Joey Wilson. Following a pitching change by the Huntsmen, the first out of the inning was recorded, followed by a full-count walk forced by Liggins.
After a pop fly out at shortstop, Huff (2-for-3, one walk) came up with the clutch hit the Lions needed, singling to right field, scoring both Crothers and Wilson (3-for-4), as thegame-tying single came on a 1-1 count.
"Caleb came off the bench (filling in for an injured player) when we needed him and had three big RBIs and big hits," Garman said. "He also made a big play on defense, and he was the difference in the game."
Fairfield was unable to gain the win, with the Huntsmen scoring three runs in the top of the eighth as Jacob Kellough, Casey Foraker and Lucas Sarver all crossed home plate for the visitors from the Scioto Valley Conference. In the top of the eighth, the Huntsmen totaled two hits and one walk.
For the Lions in game two, also gaining a hit was Cody Bennett in the sixth inning.
The loss went to Wilson as he entered the game in relief in the seventh inning. Zach Cox started the game for the Lions, pitching six innings. Brian Vickers earned the win for Huntington.
In their first game, scoring runs in the loss for the Lions were Liggins (with two), Cox and Crothers, with FHS scoring one run in the second and three in the third inning.
The pitching loss in the first game was charged to Liggins. Earning the win for HHS was Kellough.
FHS will play a makeup game against Southern Hills Athletic Conference rival Whiteoak at FHS, starting at 5 p.m. on Monday.
In game one, the Lions lost 16-4, then they dropped the second game by a score of 8-5 in eight innings.
"For the first six or so innings, we acted like we couldn't spell base or ball, but we played well for the remainder of the day," FHS head coach Matt Garman said. "We played well when we had our heads into the game. I was proud with the way we made the comeback and forced extra innings."
The second game of the twin bill saw the Lions trail 5-0 after the top of the fourth inning.
That was OK, because what could have been easy for the Lions to call it a day and go through the motions didn't occur.
[[In-content Ad]]In fact, the Lions (1-2, 5-6) began a rally that went to the bottom of the seventh inning, as they chiseled away at the Huntsmen lead, inning by inning, eventually tying the score at 5-5 to force extra innings.
Fairfield's scoring began in the fourth as they added two runs in the bottom half of the inning, with Isaiah Liggins and Dylan Rohde crossing home plate. Liggins scored on a base hit by Caleb Huff on a 0-1 count with two outs. The second run of the inning came when Rohde scored on single by Blake Hildebrant, again on a 0-1 count. Liggins reached the bases on a walk and Rohde singled.
Quintin Schaffer scored the Lions' third run of game two in the bottom of the fifth, as he led off the inning with a walk on four pitches. Schaffer moved to second on a wild pitch and rounded the bases on a RBI single off the bat Liggins.
Liggins forced three walks in the game and had one hit.
Needing two runs to extend the game in the seventh inning, the Lions began the inning with a lead-off single by Wyatt Crothers (on a 3-2 count), followed by a base hit from Joey Wilson. Following a pitching change by the Huntsmen, the first out of the inning was recorded, followed by a full-count walk forced by Liggins.
After a pop fly out at shortstop, Huff (2-for-3, one walk) came up with the clutch hit the Lions needed, singling to right field, scoring both Crothers and Wilson (3-for-4), as thegame-tying single came on a 1-1 count.
"Caleb came off the bench (filling in for an injured player) when we needed him and had three big RBIs and big hits," Garman said. "He also made a big play on defense, and he was the difference in the game."
Fairfield was unable to gain the win, with the Huntsmen scoring three runs in the top of the eighth as Jacob Kellough, Casey Foraker and Lucas Sarver all crossed home plate for the visitors from the Scioto Valley Conference. In the top of the eighth, the Huntsmen totaled two hits and one walk.
For the Lions in game two, also gaining a hit was Cody Bennett in the sixth inning.
The loss went to Wilson as he entered the game in relief in the seventh inning. Zach Cox started the game for the Lions, pitching six innings. Brian Vickers earned the win for Huntington.
In their first game, scoring runs in the loss for the Lions were Liggins (with two), Cox and Crothers, with FHS scoring one run in the second and three in the third inning.
The pitching loss in the first game was charged to Liggins. Earning the win for HHS was Kellough.
FHS will play a makeup game against Southern Hills Athletic Conference rival Whiteoak at FHS, starting at 5 p.m. on Monday.