District Semifinal Preview: Fairfield softball to face 20-win Alexander
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
The Fairfield Lady Lions are competing this season in Division III after winning multiple Division IV SE District championships, but now the Lady Lions are set to face the Alexander Lady Spartans in the district semifinals Thursday.
The No. 3 seeded Lady Lions (18-6) have played twice this postseason with wins over No. 14 seeded North Adams by a 10-0 score in five innings and a 6-0 win over No. 6 seeded Piketon to win a sectional title.
No. 2 seeded Alexander — of the Tri-Valley Conference — defeated No. 7 seeded Meigs by a 5-0 score in the sectional finals. Entering the district semifinals with a 20-3 overall record, the Lady Spartans have won their past 11 games by a combined score of 99-29. During that span of winning, Alexander defeated Meigs, River Valley, Athens, Nelsonville-York, Belpre, Vinton County, Unioto, Portsmouth West, Eastern Reedsville and Meigs.
The three losses by Alexander have come against New Lexington on March 31 by a 5-3 score, along with a loss on April 10 to Oak Hill by a 12-7 score and their most recent loss on April 18 against Wellston at 9-6.
Against Meigs in the sectional finals Grace Hill of Alexander pitched a seven-inning shutout with three strikeouts and had 17 first-pitch strikes. Also in that game, Brooke Casto finished with three hits, while Amber Hart and Abby Howard each totaled two RBI.
The win over Meigs saw Alexander not only score all five of their runs in the bottom of the third inning, but finish with nine hits and two errors. The Lady Spartans gave up seven hits to Meigs.
Fairfield in the sectional finals defeated Piketon by a not only a 6-0 score, but they totaled 10 hits with four of those being for extra bases.
This season, Kaiti White leads the Lady Lions with a .519 batting average with 40 hits, including nine doubles and one home run in 77 at-bats. White has collected 22 RBI in 24 games. In the circle, White is 17-5 for the season with 133.2 innings pitched. In 24 games, the junior has a 1.41 ERA with 214 strikeouts (30 called third strikes).
Lyndee Spargur is batting .452 with 38 hits (four doubles, one triple), 36 runs and 13 RBI.
Other batting leaders for the Lady Lions include: Megan Gregg (.394), Carli Reiber (.382) and Lauren Arnold (.373).
Entering this game the Lady Lions — Division II tri-champions of the Southern Hills Athletic Conference — have won their past six games with wins over Whiteoak, Fayetteville, Manchester, Miami Trace, North Adams and Piketon.
The district semifinal game is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. at Unioto High School.
The No. 3 seeded Lady Lions (18-6) have played twice this postseason with wins over No. 14 seeded North Adams by a 10-0 score in five innings and a 6-0 win over No. 6 seeded Piketon to win a sectional title.
No. 2 seeded Alexander — of the Tri-Valley Conference — defeated No. 7 seeded Meigs by a 5-0 score in the sectional finals. Entering the district semifinals with a 20-3 overall record, the Lady Spartans have won their past 11 games by a combined score of 99-29. During that span of winning, Alexander defeated Meigs, River Valley, Athens, Nelsonville-York, Belpre, Vinton County, Unioto, Portsmouth West, Eastern Reedsville and Meigs.
The three losses by Alexander have come against New Lexington on March 31 by a 5-3 score, along with a loss on April 10 to Oak Hill by a 12-7 score and their most recent loss on April 18 against Wellston at 9-6.
Against Meigs in the sectional finals Grace Hill of Alexander pitched a seven-inning shutout with three strikeouts and had 17 first-pitch strikes. Also in that game, Brooke Casto finished with three hits, while Amber Hart and Abby Howard each totaled two RBI.
The win over Meigs saw Alexander not only score all five of their runs in the bottom of the third inning, but finish with nine hits and two errors. The Lady Spartans gave up seven hits to Meigs.
Fairfield in the sectional finals defeated Piketon by a not only a 6-0 score, but they totaled 10 hits with four of those being for extra bases.
This season, Kaiti White leads the Lady Lions with a .519 batting average with 40 hits, including nine doubles and one home run in 77 at-bats. White has collected 22 RBI in 24 games. In the circle, White is 17-5 for the season with 133.2 innings pitched. In 24 games, the junior has a 1.41 ERA with 214 strikeouts (30 called third strikes).
Lyndee Spargur is batting .452 with 38 hits (four doubles, one triple), 36 runs and 13 RBI.
Other batting leaders for the Lady Lions include: Megan Gregg (.394), Carli Reiber (.382) and Lauren Arnold (.373).
Entering this game the Lady Lions — Division II tri-champions of the Southern Hills Athletic Conference — have won their past six games with wins over Whiteoak, Fayetteville, Manchester, Miami Trace, North Adams and Piketon.
The district semifinal game is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. at Unioto High School.