Heartbreak for Fairfield in district semifinals 
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
CHILLICOTHE — As the rain fell on the empty playing field at VA Memorial Stadium, there were no words to describe the heartbreak the Fairfield Lions had just suffered in the Division IV SE District semifinals on Tuesday night.
With FHS leading by one run and two outs in the bottom of the seventh, as South Webster had the bases loaded, a fly ball hit by the Jeeps went straight up in the infield but didn't fall in a Fairfield glove. Rather, it hit the ground while two South Webster base runners scored the tying and game-winning runs for a 9-8 victory over the Lions.
"I don't have much to say," FHS head coach Jeff Miller said. "All I can say is I praise my seniors."
The Lions trailed by one run headed into the top of the seventh, but senior Nathaniel Miller led off the inning with a triple to the centerfield wall, sliding feet-first safely at third. Miller tied the score at 7-7, sprinting from third, sliding safely home on a passed ball with one out in the inning.
Fairfield (14-7) took the lead at 8-7 when pinch runner Nathan Hawkins scored on an RBI single by Jordan Boles on a 2-2 count.
But as baseball showed on Tuesday night, as the clock nearly struck midnight, it can be a cruel game. In the early innings, the Lions led 5-0, scoring all five runs in the top of the second inning, as they rounded the bases with four singles, and capitalized on three errors by the Jeeps.
Scoring for the Lions in the second were Cody Tolle, Joey Wilson, Gage Montgomery, Boles and Ian Adams.
By the end of the third, though, the game was tied at five, with South Webster scoring one run in the second and four in the third inning.
The Jeeps took the lead in the bottom of the fourth with on runs at 6-5.
Fairfield, like they have in previous games this season, came back and tied the score at six when Adams walked with two outs, stole second and scored on a single hit to left field by Cody Bennett.
Again, South Webster wouldn't go away, loading the bases in the bottom of the sixth, but adding just one run, on a five-pitch walk, scoring the runner at third for a 7-6 lead over the Lions.
At the plate for the Lions, Bennett, Miller and Boles all had two hits. Blake Hildebrant and Wison had the two Fairfield RBIs.
Miller started the game on the mound, pitching six complete innings, but was relieved in the seventh after walking two batters to start the inning. He was charged with the loss. The senior struck out eight batters, while allowing nine runs (six earned) on nine hits and 10 walks.
Wilson pitched the rest of the way for the Lions, striking out two, while allowing no hits or runs, with one walk.
The win went to Brice Patterson who pitched 5 2-3 innings for the Jeeps. Patterson allowed three earned runs on five hits and seven walks. He struck out seven.
South Webster's Zach Wright pitched 1 1-3 innings of relief. He allowed five hits, with no walks, two strikeouts and five runs (two earned).
The Lions have clinched second place in the Division II of the SHL, so they might not make up their league game with Peebles.
Fairfield won the sectional title this postseason with a 9-7 win over the Portsmouth Clay Panthers last Thursday at FHS.
GAME NOTES: South Webster loaded the bases in the sixth and seventh innings … Miller was the starting pitcher for the two Lions' postseason games ... FHS is 9-3 in the SHL ... in the first four innings the Jeeps sent their lead-off batter to first base via walk or error ... SW committed all three of their errors in the second inning.
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With FHS leading by one run and two outs in the bottom of the seventh, as South Webster had the bases loaded, a fly ball hit by the Jeeps went straight up in the infield but didn't fall in a Fairfield glove. Rather, it hit the ground while two South Webster base runners scored the tying and game-winning runs for a 9-8 victory over the Lions.
"I don't have much to say," FHS head coach Jeff Miller said. "All I can say is I praise my seniors."
The Lions trailed by one run headed into the top of the seventh, but senior Nathaniel Miller led off the inning with a triple to the centerfield wall, sliding feet-first safely at third. Miller tied the score at 7-7, sprinting from third, sliding safely home on a passed ball with one out in the inning.
Fairfield (14-7) took the lead at 8-7 when pinch runner Nathan Hawkins scored on an RBI single by Jordan Boles on a 2-2 count.
But as baseball showed on Tuesday night, as the clock nearly struck midnight, it can be a cruel game. In the early innings, the Lions led 5-0, scoring all five runs in the top of the second inning, as they rounded the bases with four singles, and capitalized on three errors by the Jeeps.
Scoring for the Lions in the second were Cody Tolle, Joey Wilson, Gage Montgomery, Boles and Ian Adams.
By the end of the third, though, the game was tied at five, with South Webster scoring one run in the second and four in the third inning.
The Jeeps took the lead in the bottom of the fourth with on runs at 6-5.
Fairfield, like they have in previous games this season, came back and tied the score at six when Adams walked with two outs, stole second and scored on a single hit to left field by Cody Bennett.
Again, South Webster wouldn't go away, loading the bases in the bottom of the sixth, but adding just one run, on a five-pitch walk, scoring the runner at third for a 7-6 lead over the Lions.
At the plate for the Lions, Bennett, Miller and Boles all had two hits. Blake Hildebrant and Wison had the two Fairfield RBIs.
Miller started the game on the mound, pitching six complete innings, but was relieved in the seventh after walking two batters to start the inning. He was charged with the loss. The senior struck out eight batters, while allowing nine runs (six earned) on nine hits and 10 walks.
Wilson pitched the rest of the way for the Lions, striking out two, while allowing no hits or runs, with one walk.
The win went to Brice Patterson who pitched 5 2-3 innings for the Jeeps. Patterson allowed three earned runs on five hits and seven walks. He struck out seven.
South Webster's Zach Wright pitched 1 1-3 innings of relief. He allowed five hits, with no walks, two strikeouts and five runs (two earned).
The Lions have clinched second place in the Division II of the SHL, so they might not make up their league game with Peebles.
Fairfield won the sectional title this postseason with a 9-7 win over the Portsmouth Clay Panthers last Thursday at FHS.
GAME NOTES: South Webster loaded the bases in the sixth and seventh innings … Miller was the starting pitcher for the two Lions' postseason games ... FHS is 9-3 in the SHL ... in the first four innings the Jeeps sent their lead-off batter to first base via walk or error ... SW committed all three of their errors in the second inning.
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