Fairfield Lady Lions' season closes at regionals
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
PICKERINGTON — All good things eventually come to a close, and unfortunately for the Fairfield Lady Lions, their stellar season saw its end on Wednesday afternoon against the Shadyside Lady Tigers.
Fairfield (18-4) held the lead for four and a half innings by a 1-0 score, but some "Texas leaguers" and aggressive play by the Lady Tigers led to the Lady Lions' season ending with a 7-1 loss in the Division IV Regional Semifinals at Pickerington Central High School.
Though Fairfield lost in the Sweet 16, their season was a great success, winning 18 games, winning their third district championship in five seasons and being ranked as the No. 1 team in the state coaches' final poll for the season.
For the game, the Lady Lions were out-hit, 10-6. The top three batters of the Lady Lions had five of their six hits.
"(Shadyside) got some Texas leaguers that fell in, but give them credit, their kids hit the ball," FHS head coach Mark Dettwiller said. "They put it in play, and we played good, solid defense, but they finally got some to fall in and we didn't. That was the big difference."
FHS scored the first run of the game in the top of the first with Grace Larrick taking first on an infield base hit back to the pitcher, but there was nobody covering first base, allowing Larrick to reach the base safely.
Shaylee Carson followed up with an infield base hit of her own to the shortstop, and following a fielder's choice by Kaitlin Evans, there was one out. In the meantime, Larrick (2-for-4) crossed home plate on an infield error as the Lady Tigers failed to keep possession of the softball, allowing her to sprint home from third base for the 1-0 Lady Lion lead with one out.
The hit by Carson allowed her to end her high school career on a 30-game hit streak.
From the final two outs of the first inning through the completion of the third inning, the Lady Lions recorded eight consecutive outs at the plate, six of those outs via strikeout.
In the fourth, FHS loaded the bases with no outs as Evans (2-for-3) singled to left field, followed with Justice Hattan and Heather Sanderson reaching base via fielder's choice. None of those runners crossed home plate with three consecutive outs recorded via a called third strike, a fielder's choice and a swinging strike three, leaving the bases full.
Entering the fifth, the Lady Lions still held the one-run lead, but they left two runners stranded with Larrick gaining a base hit with one out and Evans reaching on a base hit with two outs.
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In the fifth inning, the lead was erased by the Lady Tigers (18-5 and the home team on the scoreboard) beginning the inning with Shelby Benedetta being hit by a pitch, followed with Sarah Dierkes singling to left field. Kayla Smith took first on a fielder's choice, forcing an out at third base.
After the second out was recorded, Kaitlyn Weaver singled to centerfield to score Dierkes. The ensuing at-bat saw Karley Klug double to centerfield for two more runs and a 3-1 advantage over FHS.
In the sixth, Shadyside added four more runs for their six-run win.
The loss was charged to Arica Melson, who finishes her four-year career with seven postseason wins. Melson pitched six innings for the Lady Lions.
In the first four innings, Melson allowed just two hits, no walks and no runs as she faced 14 batters in that span.
For the game, in the aforementioned six innings Melson allowed seven runs (five earned) on 10 hits, no walks and two hit batters. The senior ace struck out four.
Coach Dettwiller spoke about the season as a whole.
"We had a great season. We have a bunch of fantastic kids," he said. "It stinks to get to this point and lose a ball game, but the girls battled all year, never quit … never thought about quitting.
"They showed up … when we would call for a 7 a.m. practice, I would pull in at 6:30 and they would all be sitting there ready to go. They are all students of the game. They study the game."
Seniors playing their final game for Fairfield were Shaylee Carson, Kaitlin Evans, Heather Sanderson, Justice Hattan, Courtney Harker and Arica Melson.
"The seniors have had a great deal of success," Dettwiller said. "They've been to the regionals twice and are district champions. They will be missed and tough to replace. They are a great group to coach and to be around."
Fairfield (18-4) held the lead for four and a half innings by a 1-0 score, but some "Texas leaguers" and aggressive play by the Lady Tigers led to the Lady Lions' season ending with a 7-1 loss in the Division IV Regional Semifinals at Pickerington Central High School.
Though Fairfield lost in the Sweet 16, their season was a great success, winning 18 games, winning their third district championship in five seasons and being ranked as the No. 1 team in the state coaches' final poll for the season.
For the game, the Lady Lions were out-hit, 10-6. The top three batters of the Lady Lions had five of their six hits.
"(Shadyside) got some Texas leaguers that fell in, but give them credit, their kids hit the ball," FHS head coach Mark Dettwiller said. "They put it in play, and we played good, solid defense, but they finally got some to fall in and we didn't. That was the big difference."
FHS scored the first run of the game in the top of the first with Grace Larrick taking first on an infield base hit back to the pitcher, but there was nobody covering first base, allowing Larrick to reach the base safely.
Shaylee Carson followed up with an infield base hit of her own to the shortstop, and following a fielder's choice by Kaitlin Evans, there was one out. In the meantime, Larrick (2-for-4) crossed home plate on an infield error as the Lady Tigers failed to keep possession of the softball, allowing her to sprint home from third base for the 1-0 Lady Lion lead with one out.
The hit by Carson allowed her to end her high school career on a 30-game hit streak.
From the final two outs of the first inning through the completion of the third inning, the Lady Lions recorded eight consecutive outs at the plate, six of those outs via strikeout.
In the fourth, FHS loaded the bases with no outs as Evans (2-for-3) singled to left field, followed with Justice Hattan and Heather Sanderson reaching base via fielder's choice. None of those runners crossed home plate with three consecutive outs recorded via a called third strike, a fielder's choice and a swinging strike three, leaving the bases full.
Entering the fifth, the Lady Lions still held the one-run lead, but they left two runners stranded with Larrick gaining a base hit with one out and Evans reaching on a base hit with two outs.
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In the fifth inning, the lead was erased by the Lady Tigers (18-5 and the home team on the scoreboard) beginning the inning with Shelby Benedetta being hit by a pitch, followed with Sarah Dierkes singling to left field. Kayla Smith took first on a fielder's choice, forcing an out at third base.
After the second out was recorded, Kaitlyn Weaver singled to centerfield to score Dierkes. The ensuing at-bat saw Karley Klug double to centerfield for two more runs and a 3-1 advantage over FHS.
In the sixth, Shadyside added four more runs for their six-run win.
The loss was charged to Arica Melson, who finishes her four-year career with seven postseason wins. Melson pitched six innings for the Lady Lions.
In the first four innings, Melson allowed just two hits, no walks and no runs as she faced 14 batters in that span.
For the game, in the aforementioned six innings Melson allowed seven runs (five earned) on 10 hits, no walks and two hit batters. The senior ace struck out four.
Coach Dettwiller spoke about the season as a whole.
"We had a great season. We have a bunch of fantastic kids," he said. "It stinks to get to this point and lose a ball game, but the girls battled all year, never quit … never thought about quitting.
"They showed up … when we would call for a 7 a.m. practice, I would pull in at 6:30 and they would all be sitting there ready to go. They are all students of the game. They study the game."
Seniors playing their final game for Fairfield were Shaylee Carson, Kaitlin Evans, Heather Sanderson, Justice Hattan, Courtney Harker and Arica Melson.
"The seniors have had a great deal of success," Dettwiller said. "They've been to the regionals twice and are district champions. They will be missed and tough to replace. They are a great group to coach and to be around."