Lady Rockets send Fairfield to 2nd place
Lead Summary
By
The Highland County Press-
The two top teams in Division II of the Southern Hills Athletic Conference, the Fairfield Lady Lions and Fayetteville Lady Rockets, squared off Friday at FHS with first place on the line, but it was the visitors of Fayetteville who left Leesburg with the conference lead, defeating the Lady Lions, 5-4.
The two SHAC rivals entered the game with identical 6-1 conference records, but Fayetteville (13-2, 7-1 SHAC) took an early 3-0 lead with a run in the first inning and two runs in the second inning and never trailed for the entirety of the game.
Fairfield (9-6, 6-2 SHAC) rallied in the sixth and seventh innings but fell one run short of tying the game.
For the Lady Rockets, Moore led off the game with a bunt single and stole second base. Lady Lion pitcher Arica Melson struck out the next two batters, but Fayetteville's Whitney Boothby singled to score Moore.
Fayetteville added two more runs in the top of the second inning for a 3-0 lead as Smith and Cornett had back-to-back one-out singles, followed by Allen advancing both runners on a sacrifice bunt. The second Lady Rocket run scored as Moore was safe on an infield error to score Smith. Wolf followed with a single to left centerfield to score Cornett.
The Lady Lions, who committed four errors, struggled offensively in the early innings. Boothby retired the first eight Lady Lion batters she faced until Courtney Huff doubled with two outs in the bottom of the third inning. Grace Larrick singled in the bottom of the fourth inning. Boothby retired the next five batters in the bottom of the fourth inning and fifth innings.
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Meanwhile, Melson threw shutout ball in the third, fourth, fifth and sixth innings, keeping her team in the game.
The Lady Lions scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to tie the score, 3-3.
Huff (2-for-3) tripled with one out to the right-centerfield fence. Evans had a bunt single, scoring Huff. Evans stole second base, and Larrick moved Evans to third base on a slap bunt. Shelby Smithson tied the score at 3-3 with a home run to left field that one-hopped the bus garage, as it was her third home run in three days.
The Lady Rockets regained the lead with two runs in the top of the seventh inning, as Wolfe doubled to left-centerfield and advanced to third base on a throwing error. Claire Carson singled to right-centerfield to score Wolfe. Carson stole second base and went to third base on a wild pitch.
Carson scored on a wild pitch to make the score 5-3. Melson then retired Hammons to get out the inning.
Heather Sanderson added another run for the Lady Lions, leading off the inning with a single to right field. One out later, Justice Hattan doubled to left field as Sanderson raced from first to home, sliding hard at the plate to score on a close play.
Hattan, representing the tying run, advanced to third base when the relay throw went to the plate. Sirenity Smith was safe on a bunt single as Hattan held at third base. Shaylee Carson came off the bench to pinch run for Smith and promptly stole second, putting the winning run in scoring position, but Boothby struck out the next two Lady Lion batters to give the Lady Lions their second SHAC loss of the season.
Melson (9-3) suffered the loss for Fairfield, as she pitched seven innings, allowing five runners (two earned) on nine hits and no walks. She struck out three batters.
Boothby picked up the win for Fayetteville. She also pitched seven innings, allowing four earned runs on eight hits and no walks, while striking out six.
The Lady Lions travel to Eastern Brown High School to take on the undefeated Lady Warriors on Tuesday, April 30 at 5 p.m.
The two SHAC rivals entered the game with identical 6-1 conference records, but Fayetteville (13-2, 7-1 SHAC) took an early 3-0 lead with a run in the first inning and two runs in the second inning and never trailed for the entirety of the game.
Fairfield (9-6, 6-2 SHAC) rallied in the sixth and seventh innings but fell one run short of tying the game.
For the Lady Rockets, Moore led off the game with a bunt single and stole second base. Lady Lion pitcher Arica Melson struck out the next two batters, but Fayetteville's Whitney Boothby singled to score Moore.
Fayetteville added two more runs in the top of the second inning for a 3-0 lead as Smith and Cornett had back-to-back one-out singles, followed by Allen advancing both runners on a sacrifice bunt. The second Lady Rocket run scored as Moore was safe on an infield error to score Smith. Wolf followed with a single to left centerfield to score Cornett.
The Lady Lions, who committed four errors, struggled offensively in the early innings. Boothby retired the first eight Lady Lion batters she faced until Courtney Huff doubled with two outs in the bottom of the third inning. Grace Larrick singled in the bottom of the fourth inning. Boothby retired the next five batters in the bottom of the fourth inning and fifth innings.
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Meanwhile, Melson threw shutout ball in the third, fourth, fifth and sixth innings, keeping her team in the game.
The Lady Lions scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to tie the score, 3-3.
Huff (2-for-3) tripled with one out to the right-centerfield fence. Evans had a bunt single, scoring Huff. Evans stole second base, and Larrick moved Evans to third base on a slap bunt. Shelby Smithson tied the score at 3-3 with a home run to left field that one-hopped the bus garage, as it was her third home run in three days.
The Lady Rockets regained the lead with two runs in the top of the seventh inning, as Wolfe doubled to left-centerfield and advanced to third base on a throwing error. Claire Carson singled to right-centerfield to score Wolfe. Carson stole second base and went to third base on a wild pitch.
Carson scored on a wild pitch to make the score 5-3. Melson then retired Hammons to get out the inning.
Heather Sanderson added another run for the Lady Lions, leading off the inning with a single to right field. One out later, Justice Hattan doubled to left field as Sanderson raced from first to home, sliding hard at the plate to score on a close play.
Hattan, representing the tying run, advanced to third base when the relay throw went to the plate. Sirenity Smith was safe on a bunt single as Hattan held at third base. Shaylee Carson came off the bench to pinch run for Smith and promptly stole second, putting the winning run in scoring position, but Boothby struck out the next two Lady Lion batters to give the Lady Lions their second SHAC loss of the season.
Melson (9-3) suffered the loss for Fairfield, as she pitched seven innings, allowing five runners (two earned) on nine hits and no walks. She struck out three batters.
Boothby picked up the win for Fayetteville. She also pitched seven innings, allowing four earned runs on eight hits and no walks, while striking out six.
The Lady Lions travel to Eastern Brown High School to take on the undefeated Lady Warriors on Tuesday, April 30 at 5 p.m.