Lions nearly upend No. 2 state-ranked Southern; fall in district semifinals
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
CHILLICOTHE — The Fairfield Lions had the Division IV No. 2 state-ranked Southern Tornadoes not just on the brink of elimination, but down to their final strike, but lady luck just didn't go the way of the Lions.
The Lions held the lead twice in extra innings but just couldn't keep the lead as the Tornadoes won the whirlwind of a game, defeating the Lions, 6-5 in 10 innings in the SE District semifinal Saturday at VA Memorial Stadium.
This was the second consecutive season the Tornadoes have eliminated the Lions in the postseason.
FHS (11-14) held a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the eighth, then following two runs by the Tornadoes in their half of the inning, the Lions, once again, took the lead as they scored one run in the top of the 10th for a 5-4 advantage.
But with a sequence of events not in favor of the Lions, the Tornadoes (23-5) escaped with two runs in the bottom of the 10th and secured a trip to a SE District final on Monday, as they scored twice in the inning for the one-run victory.
"I told the guys it isn't possible to be more proud of them than I was (Saturday)," FHS head coach Matt Garman said. "They fought and didn't give an inch. The problem was we ran into a really good baseball team who didn't give an inch, either.
"This was a game between two teams who refused to lose and two teams who wouldn't give up. There were some unforeseen circumstances that didn't go our our way, and we just ended up on the wrong side (Saturday)."
SHS scored two runs in the first inning with the runs coming with two outs. The lead stood until the top of the sixth inning, as Wilson's pitching didn't allow another hit until the sixth inning.
FHS cut the Tornadoes' lead in half with Isaiah Liggins batting in Wilson in the top of the sixth for a 2-1 score with a sacrifice fly to centerfield. Wilson reached the bases on an outfield error and moved to second base on a passed ball. Earlier in the inning, the Lions were called out at home plate after a single by Zach Cox.
The Lions tied the score in the top of the seventh with Gage Montgomery leading off the inning with a base hit to left field. Montgomery raced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Dylan Rohde and traveled to third on a ground out to second by Quintin Schaffer. Montgomery tied the score on an infield error, with Cody Bennett beating the throw to first base for a 2-2 score.
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Montgomery finished 4-for-5 at the plate as FHS totaled nine hits, three walks and one batter was hit by a pitch. Wyatt Crothers followed going 2-for-5. Cox (two walks), Cody Bennett (one walk) and Liggins each had one hit.
The first time the Lions took the lead was in the top of the eighth as Cox sent the ball to left-centerfield on a 0-1 count. Liggins took second base after being hit by a pitch but was out at second on a fielder's choice, which allowed Blake Hildebrant to take first base.
Cox scored on a passed ball for a 3-2 lead with Montgomery at bat. Montgomery came up big again for the Lions, this time batting in a run, doubling to left field to plate Hildebrant.
Then came the bottom of the eighth, where a bit of bad luck came the Lions' way.
After Wilson forced the first out on a ground out back to the mound, the Tornadoes forced a walk on five pitches. Following a second out on a fielder's choice, a run was scored on a base hit to centerfield.
As the Lions needed one out to move to the district finals, one of the most critical at-bats of the game came with Wilson getting ahead in the count at 0-1, followed later with the count going to 1-2, then 2-2. Wilson's next pitch wasn't swung at, traveling toward near the center of the plate, but was called a ball to continue the at-bat. With a full count, the Tornadoes sent the ball (two pitches later) to left field for a RBI double to tie the score at 4-4.
FHS, for the second time in extra innings, took the lead with the aforementioned one-run 10th inning. With one out, Liggins scored on a base hit to right field by Montgomery for the 5-4 advantage, but the two runs by SHS in the 10th began with the first run scoring on a base hit on a line drive through the middle of the infield.
The game-winning run scored as the Lions lost a fly ball in the sun just outside the infield.
"We had the big hits later on in the game, and I told the umpire in the fourth or fifth inning we were going to make this interesting, and we did," Garman said. "Again, we just ran into a very good team."
Cox was charged with the loss as he pitched 1.2 innings of relief. Cox allowed two unearned runs on three hits and two walks (one intentional) with two strikeouts.
Wilson started the game for the Lions, pitching 7.2 innings for the no-decision. The junior allowed four earned runs on five hits and three walks. Wilson struck out six. From the second out of the first inning (a sacrifice bunt) to the first out of the sixth inning, Wilson didn't allow a single hit, facing 17 batters in that span.
"Our pitching was phenomenal," Garman said. "They threw strikes, and you have to realize how great of a job Joey and Zach did as they had to face seven batters who were batting .300 or better.
"They are tough kids and were willing to do what it takes. When I went to the mound in the eighth inning, Joey said to me, 'I'm tired, but I got it.' Joey pitched with a lot of heart."
Southern will face the winner of Symmes Valley and Lucasville Valley on Monday at VA Memorial Stadium in their district final.
FHS ends the season with zero seniors.
"It is tough to think about next year already, but we have kids returning with a lot of talent," Garman said. "We have kids who have competed with the second-ranked team in the state, and there is no reason we can't return here next year."
The Lions held the lead twice in extra innings but just couldn't keep the lead as the Tornadoes won the whirlwind of a game, defeating the Lions, 6-5 in 10 innings in the SE District semifinal Saturday at VA Memorial Stadium.
This was the second consecutive season the Tornadoes have eliminated the Lions in the postseason.
FHS (11-14) held a 4-2 lead in the bottom of the eighth, then following two runs by the Tornadoes in their half of the inning, the Lions, once again, took the lead as they scored one run in the top of the 10th for a 5-4 advantage.
But with a sequence of events not in favor of the Lions, the Tornadoes (23-5) escaped with two runs in the bottom of the 10th and secured a trip to a SE District final on Monday, as they scored twice in the inning for the one-run victory.
"I told the guys it isn't possible to be more proud of them than I was (Saturday)," FHS head coach Matt Garman said. "They fought and didn't give an inch. The problem was we ran into a really good baseball team who didn't give an inch, either.
"This was a game between two teams who refused to lose and two teams who wouldn't give up. There were some unforeseen circumstances that didn't go our our way, and we just ended up on the wrong side (Saturday)."
SHS scored two runs in the first inning with the runs coming with two outs. The lead stood until the top of the sixth inning, as Wilson's pitching didn't allow another hit until the sixth inning.
FHS cut the Tornadoes' lead in half with Isaiah Liggins batting in Wilson in the top of the sixth for a 2-1 score with a sacrifice fly to centerfield. Wilson reached the bases on an outfield error and moved to second base on a passed ball. Earlier in the inning, the Lions were called out at home plate after a single by Zach Cox.
The Lions tied the score in the top of the seventh with Gage Montgomery leading off the inning with a base hit to left field. Montgomery raced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Dylan Rohde and traveled to third on a ground out to second by Quintin Schaffer. Montgomery tied the score on an infield error, with Cody Bennett beating the throw to first base for a 2-2 score.
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Montgomery finished 4-for-5 at the plate as FHS totaled nine hits, three walks and one batter was hit by a pitch. Wyatt Crothers followed going 2-for-5. Cox (two walks), Cody Bennett (one walk) and Liggins each had one hit.
The first time the Lions took the lead was in the top of the eighth as Cox sent the ball to left-centerfield on a 0-1 count. Liggins took second base after being hit by a pitch but was out at second on a fielder's choice, which allowed Blake Hildebrant to take first base.
Cox scored on a passed ball for a 3-2 lead with Montgomery at bat. Montgomery came up big again for the Lions, this time batting in a run, doubling to left field to plate Hildebrant.
Then came the bottom of the eighth, where a bit of bad luck came the Lions' way.
After Wilson forced the first out on a ground out back to the mound, the Tornadoes forced a walk on five pitches. Following a second out on a fielder's choice, a run was scored on a base hit to centerfield.
As the Lions needed one out to move to the district finals, one of the most critical at-bats of the game came with Wilson getting ahead in the count at 0-1, followed later with the count going to 1-2, then 2-2. Wilson's next pitch wasn't swung at, traveling toward near the center of the plate, but was called a ball to continue the at-bat. With a full count, the Tornadoes sent the ball (two pitches later) to left field for a RBI double to tie the score at 4-4.
FHS, for the second time in extra innings, took the lead with the aforementioned one-run 10th inning. With one out, Liggins scored on a base hit to right field by Montgomery for the 5-4 advantage, but the two runs by SHS in the 10th began with the first run scoring on a base hit on a line drive through the middle of the infield.
The game-winning run scored as the Lions lost a fly ball in the sun just outside the infield.
"We had the big hits later on in the game, and I told the umpire in the fourth or fifth inning we were going to make this interesting, and we did," Garman said. "Again, we just ran into a very good team."
Cox was charged with the loss as he pitched 1.2 innings of relief. Cox allowed two unearned runs on three hits and two walks (one intentional) with two strikeouts.
Wilson started the game for the Lions, pitching 7.2 innings for the no-decision. The junior allowed four earned runs on five hits and three walks. Wilson struck out six. From the second out of the first inning (a sacrifice bunt) to the first out of the sixth inning, Wilson didn't allow a single hit, facing 17 batters in that span.
"Our pitching was phenomenal," Garman said. "They threw strikes, and you have to realize how great of a job Joey and Zach did as they had to face seven batters who were batting .300 or better.
"They are tough kids and were willing to do what it takes. When I went to the mound in the eighth inning, Joey said to me, 'I'm tired, but I got it.' Joey pitched with a lot of heart."
Southern will face the winner of Symmes Valley and Lucasville Valley on Monday at VA Memorial Stadium in their district final.
FHS ends the season with zero seniors.
"It is tough to think about next year already, but we have kids returning with a lot of talent," Garman said. "We have kids who have competed with the second-ranked team in the state, and there is no reason we can't return here next year."