Lions unable to fend off Rockets in late innings
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
LEESBURG — The Fairfield Lions were ahead by four runs after the first four innings in the Southern Hills Athletic Conference game against the visiting Fayetteville Rockets. Though the Lions had a solid lead, the Rockets broke out the bats to gain timely hits and runs in the final three innings to rally past the Lions, 7-4.
In all, the Rockets collected 11 hits, while the Lions had seven hits. For FHS, of those seven hits, just one came in the final three innings, as the Lions hit the ball hard, but right to where Fayetteville players were standing.
“We played them last Thursday and with the same pitcher … Noah Call is a really good pitcher, but we really got the barrel to it, but their defense played well. Their shortstop made some excellent plays,” FHS head coach Tony Haley said. “Sometimes they fall in and sometimes they don’t, and sometimes you have to tip you hat to the other team.
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“They were down early, and they (Fayetteville) kept battling back and we just couldn’t make it back up. It was a well-played game, but I thought Fayetteville just outplayed us.”
All four Fairfield runs came in the fourth inning, beginning with a double by Sam Buddelmeyer (2-for-4, one run), followed by a base hit from Tucker Ayres. Next, Jacob Bowman moved the base runners with a ground out to the shortstop, and Austin Setty (2-for-3, one run, one RBI) reached first with an RBI base hit.
Eli Potts followed with an RBI base hit, and Mathew Spears took first base on a fielder’s choice, gaining an RBI along the way. Next, Mason Cain singled to reach the bases to knock in a runner for the 4-0 lead.
Scoring runs in the inning for the Lions were Buddelmeyer, Ayres, Setty and Potts.
The Rockets responded with a run in the fifth, followed by a game-changing five-run fifth, an inning where the Rockets had six hits and two walks, while the Lions also had an error in the inning.
Fayetteville added one last run in the top of the seventh for the three-run win.
Call was the winning pitcher for the Rockets. He went all seven innings on the mound, finishing with four runs allowed (three earned) on seven hits and three walks. He wrapped up the SHAC game with two strikeouts.
Buddelmeyer was charged with the loss. The starting pitcher for the Lions went 5.1 innings, allowing six runs (five earned) on nine hits and two walks. He finished with one strikeout. Cody Gragg pitched 1.2 innings of relief. He allowed one earned run on two hits and three walks. He also finished with one strikeout.
Earlier this season, the Lions lost to the Rockets, 9-2 as the Rockets swept the season series.
Next for the Lions is a home SHAC game vs. West Union, and on Thursday, the Lions travel to face the Whiteoak Wildcats.
In all, the Rockets collected 11 hits, while the Lions had seven hits. For FHS, of those seven hits, just one came in the final three innings, as the Lions hit the ball hard, but right to where Fayetteville players were standing.
“We played them last Thursday and with the same pitcher … Noah Call is a really good pitcher, but we really got the barrel to it, but their defense played well. Their shortstop made some excellent plays,” FHS head coach Tony Haley said. “Sometimes they fall in and sometimes they don’t, and sometimes you have to tip you hat to the other team.
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“They were down early, and they (Fayetteville) kept battling back and we just couldn’t make it back up. It was a well-played game, but I thought Fayetteville just outplayed us.”
All four Fairfield runs came in the fourth inning, beginning with a double by Sam Buddelmeyer (2-for-4, one run), followed by a base hit from Tucker Ayres. Next, Jacob Bowman moved the base runners with a ground out to the shortstop, and Austin Setty (2-for-3, one run, one RBI) reached first with an RBI base hit.
Eli Potts followed with an RBI base hit, and Mathew Spears took first base on a fielder’s choice, gaining an RBI along the way. Next, Mason Cain singled to reach the bases to knock in a runner for the 4-0 lead.
Scoring runs in the inning for the Lions were Buddelmeyer, Ayres, Setty and Potts.
The Rockets responded with a run in the fifth, followed by a game-changing five-run fifth, an inning where the Rockets had six hits and two walks, while the Lions also had an error in the inning.
Fayetteville added one last run in the top of the seventh for the three-run win.
Call was the winning pitcher for the Rockets. He went all seven innings on the mound, finishing with four runs allowed (three earned) on seven hits and three walks. He wrapped up the SHAC game with two strikeouts.
Buddelmeyer was charged with the loss. The starting pitcher for the Lions went 5.1 innings, allowing six runs (five earned) on nine hits and two walks. He finished with one strikeout. Cody Gragg pitched 1.2 innings of relief. He allowed one earned run on two hits and three walks. He also finished with one strikeout.
Earlier this season, the Lions lost to the Rockets, 9-2 as the Rockets swept the season series.
Next for the Lions is a home SHAC game vs. West Union, and on Thursday, the Lions travel to face the Whiteoak Wildcats.