Lady Lions split twinbill at Washington
Lead Summary
By
The Highland County Press-
The Fairfield Lady Lions split a doubleheader Saturday, as they went on the road to defeat the Washington Lady Blue Lions 5-4 in game one and dropped the night cap, 3-2, as Fairfield played without three starters.
FHS played well defensively and received outstanding pitching performances, according to the Lions' coaching staff, from sophomore starter Arica Melson and junior Mikayla Coleman. Courtney Hodson, who made her first varsity start, caught both games of the doubleheader.
In game one, the Lady Lions came from behind twice in the game to take the lead. FHS threatened to score in the first inning after a one-out single by Kaitlin Evans. She stole second base and advanced to third on a wild pitch but was thrown out at the plate on close play. Evans finished 3-for-4 with a double, one run and one RBI.
Washington (1-1, 2-2) plated two runs in the bottom of the first inning to take an early 2-0 lead off singles by Warning and Sara Lentz.
Fairfield tied the score at 2-2 with two runs in the top of the third inning.
Shaylee Carson led off the inning with an infield base hit. One out later, Evans doubled down the left field line to drive in Carson. Shelby Smithson singled to move Evans to third base, and Heather Sanderson laid down a sacrifice bunt with Evans sliding head first into home late to tie the score.
WCH answered by scoring two runs in the bottom of the third inning, jumping ahead 4-2.
Hays led off the inning with a walk but was thrown out trying to steal by Hodson. Warning followed by drawing another WCH walk, and Hawk quickly gave Washington the lead with a home run to right-centerfield.
FHS cut the deficit to one run at 4-3 with a run in the top of the fourth. Sirenity Smith was safe on an error to lead off the inning. Melson laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Smith to second base, as she later scored on a wild pitch.[[In-content Ad]]
FHS took 5-4 advantage with two runs in the top of the fifth, as with two outs and bases empty, Sanderson singled to right-centerfield. Cynnamon Sova-Davy doubled over the centerfielder’s head, advancing Sanderson to third. Sanderson scored on a wild pitch as Sova-Davy moved to third base.
Smith drew a walk ,and Melson followed with a base hit to right field to score Smith for the 5-4 final score.
Melson held WCH scoreless in the final two innings, as WCH put the tying run on third in the sixth. In the bottom of the seventh, Warning was safe on an error, while Hawk drew a walk. Both runners advanced bases on a wild pitch.
Melson overcame the wild pitch with a strikeout but then walked the bases loaded. Melson retired the next batter on a pop up to Evans at short. Melson quickly got ahead of the next Lady Blue Lion hitter, and FHS centerfielder Courtney Huff ended the game on a diving catch of a sinking line drive in short centerfield.
Melson (4-1) was the winning pitcher for Fairfield. She went seven innings, allowing four earned runs on six hits and seven walks, while striking out seven.
Andrea Callender (0-1) suffered the loss for Washington. She pitched five innings, allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits and three walks. Callender struck out 11. Lentz pitched two innings of relief. She allowed one hit with no runs, no walks and four strikeouts.
The second game was similar to the first game, but Washington prevailed this time over FHS by a 3-2 score.
Coleman pitched for FHS in the nightcap, scattering five hits with two earned runs in six innings. She walked one and struck out two.
WCH took the 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning on singles by Hays and Lentz. They added another run in the top of the third inning on singles by Hays and Vernon. Washington added a third run in the bottom of the fifth inning to lead 3-0.
FHS rallied in the top of the sixth with two runs.
Huff drew a walk to lead-off the inning. Evans had an infield bunt-single advancing Huff to second. Smithson sacrifice bunted to move the runners over. With two outs, Sova-Davy doubled to the gap in right-centerfield to drive in both runs.
FHS was retired in order in the seventh inning to end the game.
Jude (1-0) was the winning pitcher for Washington. She went seven innings, allowing two earned runs on three hits and two walks. She finished with 11 strikeouts.
FHS will face three Southern Hills Athletic Conference opponents this week. They travel to Peebles on Tuesday to start the week. On Thursday, they will host Whiteoak, and on Friday, they host Fayetteville with all three games beginning at 5 p.m.
FHS played well defensively and received outstanding pitching performances, according to the Lions' coaching staff, from sophomore starter Arica Melson and junior Mikayla Coleman. Courtney Hodson, who made her first varsity start, caught both games of the doubleheader.
In game one, the Lady Lions came from behind twice in the game to take the lead. FHS threatened to score in the first inning after a one-out single by Kaitlin Evans. She stole second base and advanced to third on a wild pitch but was thrown out at the plate on close play. Evans finished 3-for-4 with a double, one run and one RBI.
Washington (1-1, 2-2) plated two runs in the bottom of the first inning to take an early 2-0 lead off singles by Warning and Sara Lentz.
Fairfield tied the score at 2-2 with two runs in the top of the third inning.
Shaylee Carson led off the inning with an infield base hit. One out later, Evans doubled down the left field line to drive in Carson. Shelby Smithson singled to move Evans to third base, and Heather Sanderson laid down a sacrifice bunt with Evans sliding head first into home late to tie the score.
WCH answered by scoring two runs in the bottom of the third inning, jumping ahead 4-2.
Hays led off the inning with a walk but was thrown out trying to steal by Hodson. Warning followed by drawing another WCH walk, and Hawk quickly gave Washington the lead with a home run to right-centerfield.
FHS cut the deficit to one run at 4-3 with a run in the top of the fourth. Sirenity Smith was safe on an error to lead off the inning. Melson laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Smith to second base, as she later scored on a wild pitch.[[In-content Ad]]
FHS took 5-4 advantage with two runs in the top of the fifth, as with two outs and bases empty, Sanderson singled to right-centerfield. Cynnamon Sova-Davy doubled over the centerfielder’s head, advancing Sanderson to third. Sanderson scored on a wild pitch as Sova-Davy moved to third base.
Smith drew a walk ,and Melson followed with a base hit to right field to score Smith for the 5-4 final score.
Melson held WCH scoreless in the final two innings, as WCH put the tying run on third in the sixth. In the bottom of the seventh, Warning was safe on an error, while Hawk drew a walk. Both runners advanced bases on a wild pitch.
Melson overcame the wild pitch with a strikeout but then walked the bases loaded. Melson retired the next batter on a pop up to Evans at short. Melson quickly got ahead of the next Lady Blue Lion hitter, and FHS centerfielder Courtney Huff ended the game on a diving catch of a sinking line drive in short centerfield.
Melson (4-1) was the winning pitcher for Fairfield. She went seven innings, allowing four earned runs on six hits and seven walks, while striking out seven.
Andrea Callender (0-1) suffered the loss for Washington. She pitched five innings, allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits and three walks. Callender struck out 11. Lentz pitched two innings of relief. She allowed one hit with no runs, no walks and four strikeouts.
The second game was similar to the first game, but Washington prevailed this time over FHS by a 3-2 score.
Coleman pitched for FHS in the nightcap, scattering five hits with two earned runs in six innings. She walked one and struck out two.
WCH took the 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning on singles by Hays and Lentz. They added another run in the top of the third inning on singles by Hays and Vernon. Washington added a third run in the bottom of the fifth inning to lead 3-0.
FHS rallied in the top of the sixth with two runs.
Huff drew a walk to lead-off the inning. Evans had an infield bunt-single advancing Huff to second. Smithson sacrifice bunted to move the runners over. With two outs, Sova-Davy doubled to the gap in right-centerfield to drive in both runs.
FHS was retired in order in the seventh inning to end the game.
Jude (1-0) was the winning pitcher for Washington. She went seven innings, allowing two earned runs on three hits and two walks. She finished with 11 strikeouts.
FHS will face three Southern Hills Athletic Conference opponents this week. They travel to Peebles on Tuesday to start the week. On Thursday, they will host Whiteoak, and on Friday, they host Fayetteville with all three games beginning at 5 p.m.