Lions earn 8th win of season; defeat Ripley

The Fairfield Lions went on the road for a Southern Hills Athletic Conference game on Tuesday evening, and they defeated the Ripley Blue Jays in six innings by a 25-7 score. 

Fairfield (8-6) and the Blue Jays were tied after the first inning with each team scoring two runs, but from the top of the second until the game ended, it was the Lions who were leading the way on the scoreboard. 

FHS added five runs in the top of the second, while the Blue Jays scored one run in the bottom of the same inning, leaving the Lions ahead 7-3. FHS scored two runs in the third, three runs in the fifth inning and capped off their scoring with a 13-run top of the sixth inning. 

Ripley scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth and one run in the fifth inning. 

The Lions finished with 13 hits and had one error, while Ripley finished with three hits and committed five errors. 

Fairfield — who forced Ripley to use six pitchers in the game — had a three-hit game from Blaine Fauber, who was 3-for-3 with three runs and six RBI, plus he forced two walks. One of the three hits by Fauber was a double, and he was also hit by a pitch. 

Zane Matthews was 2-for-2 with four runs, one RBI and he forced three walks. Matthews was also hit by a pitch and collected five steals. 

Also with two hits was Corey Zimmerman, who ended the day at 2-for-5 with two runs, two RBI and a walk, as Zimmerman hit a triple in the win. 

Ben Miller also finished the game with two hits, going 2-for-2 with one run, seven RBI and a walk, as his two hits were doubles. Miller also was hit by a pitch twice. 

Cameron Miller was 1-for-4 (a double) with four runs, one RBI, a hit by pitch, a steal and a walk. Corbin Willey was 1-for-3 with three runs, a SAC fly, three RBI, three steals and two walks. 

Zach Ahsaruk was 1-for-3 (a double) with a run, one RBI and two walks, plus he was hit by a pitch. Teammate Otis Cockerill finished 1-for-4 with a run and three RBI. Cockerill was also hit by a pitch twice.

The Lions also had one run each scored by Greyson Abbott, Zane Collins, Heath Flint, Van Bennington, Spencer Hurless and Caleb Rice, who also had a steal. 

Ben Miller was the winning pitcher, tossing 3.2 innings, allowing six runs (four earned) on one hit, plus he struck out six. Fauber pitched 2.1 innings, allowing one run (earned) on two hits with five strikeouts. 

The win moves the Lions to an 8-6 overall record with a SHAC mark of 7-3 in the Division II standings. 

BOX SCORE
FHS    252 03(13) x— 25 13 1 
RHS    210 310 x — 7 3 5