Lions run-rule Peebles 14-1
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
LEESBURG - The Fairfield Lions used their speed on the bases to gain their second straight win of the season. FHS also used their baseball smarts to lend a hand in defeating Southern Hills League foe Peebles 14-1 in five innings Thursday at Fairfield High School.
The Lions (2-0) reached the bases five times via hit, but took bases by either an error, walk, hit by pitch or fielder's choice 10 times. When on the bases FHS totaled 10 steals.
"We worked all offseason on base running and we wanted to be more aggressive once we got on the bases this year," Fairfield head coach Jeff Miller said. "We have signs for everything and one of the things that help us is that we have a high baseball IQ. We are more focused and organized."
Fairfield used all their offseason work to score first in the SHL showdown as they ended the first inning leading 1-0.
The run scoring first started with Ian Adams singling on the fourth pitch seen in the at-bat with a 1-2 count. Bobby Wilson moved Adams from first to third on a double that went into the outfield. With two outs Dakota Hargrave continued to run down the first base line on a ground ball, and was called safe as Peebles had a wild throw, allowing Adams to score.
Peebles tied the game at one in the top of the second with Swango crossing home plate off a Swane ground out to the pitcher. Swango reached first with a base hit to start the inning.
The bottom half of the second was the inning the Lions worked all offseason for as they totaled five to take a 6-1 lead.
Kyle Carson, Austin Hildebrant and Jordan Boles forced walks to begin the inning. Before Boles' base on balls, Carson and Hildebrant each had a stolen base.
Adams scored both Carson and Hildebrant on a hard-hit single. After Adams stole second, Wilson singled to bring home Boles.
Wilson then took second base, and later in the inning Adams scored on a sacrifice bunt from Tyler Campbell. Wilson scored the fifth run of the inning on a wild pitch.
Then came the fourth inning when the Lions sealed the win with eight runs scored.
Boles started the big inning by being hit by a pitch, which allowed Chase Fulkerson to come in as a pinch runner. Fulkerson wasted no time as he stole second and went to third on a ground out. Fulkerson scored on a throwing error to first, that allowed Wilson to reach the base safely.
Wilson used the aggressive base running style of Fairfield by stealing second and third. Between the base running of Wilson, Nathaniel Miller forced a six-pitch walk. Campbell then singled to bring Wilson home.
The smart base running of Fairfield continued when a double steal was called and executed by Miller and Campbell, putting runners on second and third with one out.
The bases became jammed as Hargrave drew a walk. The second out came on a fielder's choice, scoring Miller from third.
Also scoring in the inning were Campbell, Sammy Williams, Hargrave, Cody Tolle and Michael Carson.
FHS ended the fourth with eight runs on one hit. In the same inning PHS committed three errors, hit a batter and walked three.
Campbell, who was on the mound for the Lions the entire game, finished the five inning affair by retiring the side. Campbell earned the win by allowing one run (unearned) on two hits. He struck out five.
"Tyler pitched an outstanding game," Miller said. "His control was off the charts."
Campbell had 43 strikes and 22 balls for a total of 65 pitches.
Leading hitters for the Lions included: Adams 2-for-3, two runs, two RBIs; Wilson 2-for-3, two runs, one RBI; Campbell 1-for-2, one run, two RBIs, SAC bunt.
FHS will play again on Saturday at Westfall in a doubleheader. The DH will include three teams as FHS will face Westfall at 11 a.m. and Fairfield Union in the second game.
BOX SCORE
SCORE BY INNINGS
PHS - 010 00x x - 1 2 4
FHS - 150 8xx x - 14 5 3[[In-content Ad]]
The Lions (2-0) reached the bases five times via hit, but took bases by either an error, walk, hit by pitch or fielder's choice 10 times. When on the bases FHS totaled 10 steals.
"We worked all offseason on base running and we wanted to be more aggressive once we got on the bases this year," Fairfield head coach Jeff Miller said. "We have signs for everything and one of the things that help us is that we have a high baseball IQ. We are more focused and organized."
Fairfield used all their offseason work to score first in the SHL showdown as they ended the first inning leading 1-0.
The run scoring first started with Ian Adams singling on the fourth pitch seen in the at-bat with a 1-2 count. Bobby Wilson moved Adams from first to third on a double that went into the outfield. With two outs Dakota Hargrave continued to run down the first base line on a ground ball, and was called safe as Peebles had a wild throw, allowing Adams to score.
Peebles tied the game at one in the top of the second with Swango crossing home plate off a Swane ground out to the pitcher. Swango reached first with a base hit to start the inning.
The bottom half of the second was the inning the Lions worked all offseason for as they totaled five to take a 6-1 lead.
Kyle Carson, Austin Hildebrant and Jordan Boles forced walks to begin the inning. Before Boles' base on balls, Carson and Hildebrant each had a stolen base.
Adams scored both Carson and Hildebrant on a hard-hit single. After Adams stole second, Wilson singled to bring home Boles.
Wilson then took second base, and later in the inning Adams scored on a sacrifice bunt from Tyler Campbell. Wilson scored the fifth run of the inning on a wild pitch.
Then came the fourth inning when the Lions sealed the win with eight runs scored.
Boles started the big inning by being hit by a pitch, which allowed Chase Fulkerson to come in as a pinch runner. Fulkerson wasted no time as he stole second and went to third on a ground out. Fulkerson scored on a throwing error to first, that allowed Wilson to reach the base safely.
Wilson used the aggressive base running style of Fairfield by stealing second and third. Between the base running of Wilson, Nathaniel Miller forced a six-pitch walk. Campbell then singled to bring Wilson home.
The smart base running of Fairfield continued when a double steal was called and executed by Miller and Campbell, putting runners on second and third with one out.
The bases became jammed as Hargrave drew a walk. The second out came on a fielder's choice, scoring Miller from third.
Also scoring in the inning were Campbell, Sammy Williams, Hargrave, Cody Tolle and Michael Carson.
FHS ended the fourth with eight runs on one hit. In the same inning PHS committed three errors, hit a batter and walked three.
Campbell, who was on the mound for the Lions the entire game, finished the five inning affair by retiring the side. Campbell earned the win by allowing one run (unearned) on two hits. He struck out five.
"Tyler pitched an outstanding game," Miller said. "His control was off the charts."
Campbell had 43 strikes and 22 balls for a total of 65 pitches.
Leading hitters for the Lions included: Adams 2-for-3, two runs, two RBIs; Wilson 2-for-3, two runs, one RBI; Campbell 1-for-2, one run, two RBIs, SAC bunt.
FHS will play again on Saturday at Westfall in a doubleheader. The DH will include three teams as FHS will face Westfall at 11 a.m. and Fairfield Union in the second game.
BOX SCORE
SCORE BY INNINGS
PHS - 010 00x x - 1 2 4
FHS - 150 8xx x - 14 5 3[[In-content Ad]]