Fairfield softball battles in recent games

The Fairfield Lady Lions traveled to Paint Valley High School Friday to play the Paint Valley Lady Bearcats of the Scioto Valley Conference in a non-conference game, winning on the road by a 5-2 score. 

Runs were scarce, but Fairfield took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning. Paint Valley tied the game with a run in the fifth inning.

Fairfield regained the lead 2-1 with a run in the top of the sixth inning, but Paint Valley rallied to tie the game 2-2 with a run in the bottom of the seventh inning. Fairfield erupted for three runs in the eighth inning to win 5-2.

Fairfield senior Captain pitcher Rilee Quickle was dominant in the circle, limiting the Lady Bearcats to just two runs, scattering four hits, while striking out 12 batters. Quickle also led the Lady Lion offense, going 2-for-2 with a triple, a home run, one run scored, one RBI and two intentional walks.  

Quickle broke a scoreless tie with a solo home run leading off the top of the fourth inning. With the score tied 1-1 in the top of the sixth inning, Kelsie Crowder led off the inning with a base hit to left field. Alyssa Bales grounded out to shortstop as Crowder took second base and headed to third base. Crowder slid safely into third base, and when the throw bounced into short left field, Crowder scored.

Paint Valley tied the score in the bottom of the seventh inning on back-to-back singles by Delainey Mannion and Haylee Couch. Mannion scored on a groundout to the second baseman. Quickle retired the next two batters to end the threat and send the game into extra innings.

The Lady Lions rallied to score three runs in the top of the eighth inning, as again Crowder doubled to centerfield to start the rally. Bales was safe on a bunt single that advanced Crowder to third base. Bales then stole second base, and Jorgia Smith singled to drive home both Crowder and Bales. Smith later scored on a wild pitch.

Paint Valley again rallied in the bottom of the eighth inning, as with one out, Kasarah Contrell was safe on an infield error, and Halie Burton singled to put runners on first and second base. Quickle shut the door, getting the next batter to fly out to shortstop and struck out the following batter to end the game.

Leading hitters for the Lady Lions: Quickle (2-for-2, triple, home run, two walks, one run, one RBI), Ally Maynard (1-for-4), Kelsie Crowder (2-for-4, double, two runs), Alyssa Bales (2-for-4, one run), Jorgia Smith (1-for-4, one run, three RBI), Avery Morrow (2-for-4, double), Ava White (1-for-4) and Layla Howard (1-for-1).                   
                   

Quickle (5-2) was the winning pitcher for Fairfield and was brilliant in the circle pitching her first shut out of the season. She pitched eight innings, allowing four hits, two earned runs, two walks, and she had 12 strikeouts.

Fairfield Lady Lions splits tri-match at Carol Vice Memorial Field

For the second season in a row, three of the top three historic softball programs in the Southeast District met in a tri-match: the Waverly Lady Tigers (4-5, 0-0 SOC 3), the Fairfield Lady Lions (7-3, 2-0 SHAC) and the host Portsmouth Clay Lady Panthers (6-5, 0-0 SOC 1).  

The games were played at historic Carol Vice Memorial Field in Rubyville, as Carol Vice was a Hall of Fame softball coach for the Portsmouth Clay Lady Panthers from 1978-88 and amassed a record of 261-20. In the first 11 years of Girls Fastpitch Softball in Ohio, Vice made nine state Final Four appearances in 11 years, winning three state championships. Fairfield upset Portsmouth Clay in the regional finals in 1982 to make their only appearance to the State Final Four under Hall of Fame Coach Jim D. Cook.

GAME 1: Fairfield 14, Portsmouth-Clay 6

Fairfield took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning as Quickle singled and stole second base. One out later, Crowder singled to score Quickle. Portsmouth Clay answered with two runs in the bottom of the first inning to take a 2-1 lead.

FHS broke a 4-4 tie with three runs in the top of the fifth inning and then erupted for five runs in the sixth inning. Quickle, Crowder and Jorgia Smith led the offense.

Fairfield junior pitcher Ally Maynard picked up the win, and the Lady Lions’ defense played well behind her.

Leading hitters for the Lady Lions: Whitlee Morrow (three walks, two runs), Quickle (4-for-5, double, triple, four runs, one RBI), Maynard (1-for-4, two runs, one RBI), Crowder (4-for-5, double, two runs, three RBI), Bales (sac fly, one run, one RBI), Smith (2-for-4, double, triple, one run, one RBI), Avery Morrow (1-for-4, two RBI), Ava White (1-for-4) and Kyla Thomas (1-for-2).                   

Maynard (2-0) was the winning pitcher for Fairfield, pitching seven innings, with four earned runs, one walk and two strikeouts.

GAME 2: Waverly 4, Fairfield 3

The Waverly Lady Tigers took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning, but the Fairfield Lady Lions tied the game 1-1 with a run in the bottom of the first inning. Quickle doubled to centerfield and later scored on a wild pitch. Waverly took a 3-1 lead with two runs in the top of the second inning and added a run in the top of the fourth inning to take a 4-1 lead.

The Lady Lions added a run in the bottom of the fifth inning, as Whitlee Morrow led off the inning with a single to right field and later scored on a throwing error. 

Fairfield trailed 4-2 as they came to bat in the bottom of the seventh inning. Whitlee Morrow led off the inning with a walk and later scored on an RBI fly ball to left field off the bat of Maynard to make the score 4-3. Maynard tagged up and advanced to third base on a fly ball to left centerfield, but Maynard was left on base and the Lady Lions fell a run short.

Leading hitters for the Lady Lions: Whitlee Morrow (2-for-3, walk, two runs), Rilee Quickle (1-for-3, walk, double, one run), Ally Maynard (1-for-4), Kelsie Crowder (walk), Smith (1-for-2, walk), Avery Morrow (1-for-3) and May (1-for-2).               

Quickle (5-3) suffered the loss for Fairfield, pitching seven innings, allowing three earned runs with seven strikeouts. 

Lady Lions score 23 runs in win over WUHS
 
The Fairfield Lady Lions (8-3, 3-0 SHAC) returned to Southern Hills Athletic Conference play Monday afternoon, defeating the West Union Lady Dragons (0-3, 0-2 SHAC) 23-5 in a game played at the Fairfield Baseball/Softball Complex.  

The Lady Lions offense scored early and often, coasting to victory in the five-inning contest. Fairfield carries a roster of 12 players, and on Monday 11 of the 12 players scored runs, with nine of the 12 having hits.
 
The Lady Lions offense was led by Kelsie Crowder with four hits and four RBI. Layla Howard had two hits (on her birthday), and Kyla Thomas collected two hits.
 
Meanwhile, the entire Fairfield Lady Lions pitching staff combined for the victory.  

Starting pitcher Rilee Quickle picked up her sixth win of the season. Whitlee Morrow followed Quickle to the circle in the fourth inning, and Ally Maynard pitched the fifth inning.
 
Leading hitters for the Lady Lions: Whitlee Morrow (1-for-4, walk, two runs, one RBI), Quickle (2-for-3, two walks, four runs, one RBI), Maynard (2-for-4, two runs, four RBI), Crowder (4-for-5, three runs, four RBI), Alyssa Bales (three walks, four runs, one rbi), Jorgia Smith (1-for-3, three runs, two RBI), Avery Morrow (0 one walk), Ava White (one RBI), Jorja May (one run), Layla Howard (2-for-2, double, one run, two RBI), Daphne Butts (1-for-2, one run, one RBI) and Kyla Thomas (2-for-2, double, one run).                      
 
Rilee Quickle (6-3) was the winning pitcher for Fairfield, pitching 3.2 innings, with two hits, one run, no earned runs, one walk, and seven strikeouts.

Whitlee Morrow pitched 0.1 innings with two earned runs, four walks and one HBP. Ally Maynard pitched one inning with no hits, no runs, two walks and one strikeout.  

BOX SCORE
WUHS    100 40x x — 5 3 5
FHS        762 8xx x — 23 15 2