Lions are sectional champions
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
LEESBURG — Fairfield head coach Jeff Miller kept telling his team, who were playing tight, to have fun all game long, and the Fairfield Lions were the team letting loose after the final out, defeating the Portsmouth Clay Panthers 9-7 to win a sectional championship Thursday.
The Lions (13-6) led 6-1 after two innings, never trailing in the Division IV SE District sectional, by battling out of jams and Panther scoring rallies to seal the win in the seventh inning.
"We kind of got the monkey off our back here. I don't know, it seems like we play tight in the sectionals," Miller said. "Our seniors relaxed, but at times we were tight. We've been playing nice, relaxed games, but tonight it was kind of tense.
"We scrapped … they scrapped. They didn't quit … we didn't quit, and we came out on top."
After scoring six runs in the first two innings, the Panthers answered with a three-run third.
That was OK with the Lions, as they added three runs to their lead in the sixth and held Clay to three runs in the seventh, as they threatened by loading the bases.
"We are hitting and seeing the ball really well. We've overcome a lot of adversity. We had three kids who are normally starters not in the lineup tonight, and at one time we had five freshmen in the field, and they stepped up for us. Some of them came through with big hits in the sixth inning. I used all 14 players available, and this really was a good team effort and a team win.
"Our seniors came though and showed their leadership."
In the first inning for the Lions, Dakota Hargrave led off with a base hit, followed by a walk by Ian Adams. A sacrifice fly by Kyle Carson scored Hargrave, who stole second and took third on a passed ball. Nathaniel Miller grounded out but knocked in Adams for the early two-run lead.
After Clay cut the lead in half, the Lions added four more runs to their total, taking a five-run lead in the second inning.
All four second-inning runs came with two outs. The rally began with Adams singling up the middle on the first pitch of the at-bat. Adams, a senior, stole second and advanced to third and home on the same wild pick-off attempt throw that went to centerfield.
Carson followed with a walk, taking second on a wild pick-off throw. Miller (2-for-4) doubled in Carson, taking third on another wild throw that ended up in the outfield. Miller scored on a single through the middle of the infield by Cody Tolle. Chase Fulkerson was Tolle's pinch runner and scored a run with head's-up base running.
Clay continued to chip away at the Lions' lead, scoring three runs in the top of the third, where the score stayed 6-4 until the bottom of the sixth.
The Lions scored three times, taking a 9-4 advantage. Again, the Lions scored three runs with two outs.
Carson reached first on a walk in his final at-bat, keeping the inning alive, but saw his 14-game hitting streak come to an end. With Carson on first, Miller singled to centerfield, with Nathan Hawkins in as the pinch runner. Tolle, who went 2-for-3, was intentionally walked and Joey Wilson took first on an error, scoring Carson and Hawkins. Chase Montgomery singled in Tolle for the final FHS run.
Clay rallied in the seventh with three runs, loading the bases, but Miller struck out the final batter with the bases loaded to end the game.
The win went to Miller, who pitched seven innings. He allowed seven runs (three earned) on nine hits and five walks. Miller, a senior, struck out six.
"Nathaniel didn't have his best stuff of the year, but the offense picked him up, and sometimes you have to rely on your offense to come through to hit the ball," Jeff Miller said.
The Lions will now face Symmes Valley or South Webster on Tuesday, May 17 at VA Memorial Stadium in Chillicothe at 7 p.m.
GAME NOTES: Both teams finished with nine hits … FHS had four RBIs and six stolen bases, with Adams grabbing two … Clay finished with three doubles … Seven Lions players had at least one hit … Clay committed four errors … The Lions committed three errors … There were three 3-run innings.
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The Lions (13-6) led 6-1 after two innings, never trailing in the Division IV SE District sectional, by battling out of jams and Panther scoring rallies to seal the win in the seventh inning.
"We kind of got the monkey off our back here. I don't know, it seems like we play tight in the sectionals," Miller said. "Our seniors relaxed, but at times we were tight. We've been playing nice, relaxed games, but tonight it was kind of tense.
"We scrapped … they scrapped. They didn't quit … we didn't quit, and we came out on top."
After scoring six runs in the first two innings, the Panthers answered with a three-run third.
That was OK with the Lions, as they added three runs to their lead in the sixth and held Clay to three runs in the seventh, as they threatened by loading the bases.
"We are hitting and seeing the ball really well. We've overcome a lot of adversity. We had three kids who are normally starters not in the lineup tonight, and at one time we had five freshmen in the field, and they stepped up for us. Some of them came through with big hits in the sixth inning. I used all 14 players available, and this really was a good team effort and a team win.
"Our seniors came though and showed their leadership."
In the first inning for the Lions, Dakota Hargrave led off with a base hit, followed by a walk by Ian Adams. A sacrifice fly by Kyle Carson scored Hargrave, who stole second and took third on a passed ball. Nathaniel Miller grounded out but knocked in Adams for the early two-run lead.
After Clay cut the lead in half, the Lions added four more runs to their total, taking a five-run lead in the second inning.
All four second-inning runs came with two outs. The rally began with Adams singling up the middle on the first pitch of the at-bat. Adams, a senior, stole second and advanced to third and home on the same wild pick-off attempt throw that went to centerfield.
Carson followed with a walk, taking second on a wild pick-off throw. Miller (2-for-4) doubled in Carson, taking third on another wild throw that ended up in the outfield. Miller scored on a single through the middle of the infield by Cody Tolle. Chase Fulkerson was Tolle's pinch runner and scored a run with head's-up base running.
Clay continued to chip away at the Lions' lead, scoring three runs in the top of the third, where the score stayed 6-4 until the bottom of the sixth.
The Lions scored three times, taking a 9-4 advantage. Again, the Lions scored three runs with two outs.
Carson reached first on a walk in his final at-bat, keeping the inning alive, but saw his 14-game hitting streak come to an end. With Carson on first, Miller singled to centerfield, with Nathan Hawkins in as the pinch runner. Tolle, who went 2-for-3, was intentionally walked and Joey Wilson took first on an error, scoring Carson and Hawkins. Chase Montgomery singled in Tolle for the final FHS run.
Clay rallied in the seventh with three runs, loading the bases, but Miller struck out the final batter with the bases loaded to end the game.
The win went to Miller, who pitched seven innings. He allowed seven runs (three earned) on nine hits and five walks. Miller, a senior, struck out six.
"Nathaniel didn't have his best stuff of the year, but the offense picked him up, and sometimes you have to rely on your offense to come through to hit the ball," Jeff Miller said.
The Lions will now face Symmes Valley or South Webster on Tuesday, May 17 at VA Memorial Stadium in Chillicothe at 7 p.m.
GAME NOTES: Both teams finished with nine hits … FHS had four RBIs and six stolen bases, with Adams grabbing two … Clay finished with three doubles … Seven Lions players had at least one hit … Clay committed four errors … The Lions committed three errors … There were three 3-run innings.
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