Mustangs top rival Fairfield
Lead Summary
By
The Highland County Press-
LEESBURG — The Lynchburg-Clay Mustangs played aggressively in the first inning, then added runs in the late innings to take home a 7-6 Southern Hills League win over Highland County rival Fairfield, Thursday at Fairfield High School.
LC scored three times in the first inning, while adding four runs combined in the fifth and sixth innings, holding off an FHS rally in the last inning for the one-run victory.
The win lifts the Mustangs to 6-4 overall, but even more importantly, they are 6-1 in the SHL.
FHS drops to 4-4 overall and 4-2 in the SHL.
LC struck early with a three-run first inning, starting with a lead-off single by Colin Creek. Creek stole second and took third on a wild pitch. Wes Pierson walked, then stole second, giving LC runners on second and third.
With no outs, Austin Fawley singled in two runs, putting the Mustangs up 2-0. LC added one more run in the first with Ryan Doss singling in Fawley with one out.
LC finished the first with five hits and three runs, as Dallas Puckett and Chaz Lanier also had base hits in the inning.
The Lions responded in a big way, scoring five runs in the next three innings for a 5-3 advantage after three.
FHS scored one run in each of the first two innings, then added a three-spot in the third.
The first FHS run came when Kyle Carson had a sacrifice bunt to the pitcher, scoring Dakota Hargrave from third base.
Hargrave reached the bases with a lead-off walk.
In the second, Casey Jordan walked on five pitches to take first. Jordan scored on a two-out base hit by Cody Bennett.
The third inning put the Lions up by two runs, scoring three times.
Hargrave began the inning with his second lead-off walk, followed by a base hit by Adams. Carson loaded the bases with a base-on-balls. Nathaniel Miller hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield, scoring Hargrave.
Cody Tolle walked, loading the bases for the second time in the inning. Jordan Boles, facing a new pitcher, hit the fourth pitch he saw, on a 1-2 count, scoring Carson and Jordan.
Within two runs, the Mustangs' offense came back to life in the fifth, tying the game at five with a two-run inning.
Fawley began the inning by reaching first on a fielding error. Fawley reached third on a wild pitch, and Joey Butler walked., putting runners at the corners.
With Jacob Jones in as a pinch runner for Butler, he stole second, as the throw to try to get the runner out sailed to the centerfielder, allowing Fawley to take home for a run.
Puckett hit a sacrifice to centerfield, scoring Jones, tying the game.
LC regained their early lead with two runs in the sixth inning.
With one out, Terry Campbell singled, and Creek was hit by a pitch. Campbell scored on a pickoff throw that, again, went to centerfield, moving Creek to third base. Fawley singled to score Creek.
In the bottom of the seventh, Carson homered, with one out, to left-center field, but that was about all there was of the Fairfield last-inning rally, as two final outs were recorded.
Pierson got the no-decision, pitching 2 2-3 innings, allowing five earned runs on six walks and three hits. He struck out one.
Campbell earned the win, going 4 1-3 innings for LC. He allowed one earned run on three hits and no walks. Campbell struck out 10.
Campbell had nine consecutive strikeouts and struck out 10 of 16 batters faced.
Miller was charged with the loss. He pitched seven innings, allowing seven runs (five earned) on 10 hits and three walks. The senior struck out five.
Leading FHS at the plate was Adams, who finished 2-for-4.
For LC, Fawley was 3-for-4 with three RBIs, two runs and one steal. Lanier was 3-for-4.[[In-content Ad]]
LC scored three times in the first inning, while adding four runs combined in the fifth and sixth innings, holding off an FHS rally in the last inning for the one-run victory.
The win lifts the Mustangs to 6-4 overall, but even more importantly, they are 6-1 in the SHL.
FHS drops to 4-4 overall and 4-2 in the SHL.
LC struck early with a three-run first inning, starting with a lead-off single by Colin Creek. Creek stole second and took third on a wild pitch. Wes Pierson walked, then stole second, giving LC runners on second and third.
With no outs, Austin Fawley singled in two runs, putting the Mustangs up 2-0. LC added one more run in the first with Ryan Doss singling in Fawley with one out.
LC finished the first with five hits and three runs, as Dallas Puckett and Chaz Lanier also had base hits in the inning.
The Lions responded in a big way, scoring five runs in the next three innings for a 5-3 advantage after three.
FHS scored one run in each of the first two innings, then added a three-spot in the third.
The first FHS run came when Kyle Carson had a sacrifice bunt to the pitcher, scoring Dakota Hargrave from third base.
Hargrave reached the bases with a lead-off walk.
In the second, Casey Jordan walked on five pitches to take first. Jordan scored on a two-out base hit by Cody Bennett.
The third inning put the Lions up by two runs, scoring three times.
Hargrave began the inning with his second lead-off walk, followed by a base hit by Adams. Carson loaded the bases with a base-on-balls. Nathaniel Miller hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield, scoring Hargrave.
Cody Tolle walked, loading the bases for the second time in the inning. Jordan Boles, facing a new pitcher, hit the fourth pitch he saw, on a 1-2 count, scoring Carson and Jordan.
Within two runs, the Mustangs' offense came back to life in the fifth, tying the game at five with a two-run inning.
Fawley began the inning by reaching first on a fielding error. Fawley reached third on a wild pitch, and Joey Butler walked., putting runners at the corners.
With Jacob Jones in as a pinch runner for Butler, he stole second, as the throw to try to get the runner out sailed to the centerfielder, allowing Fawley to take home for a run.
Puckett hit a sacrifice to centerfield, scoring Jones, tying the game.
LC regained their early lead with two runs in the sixth inning.
With one out, Terry Campbell singled, and Creek was hit by a pitch. Campbell scored on a pickoff throw that, again, went to centerfield, moving Creek to third base. Fawley singled to score Creek.
In the bottom of the seventh, Carson homered, with one out, to left-center field, but that was about all there was of the Fairfield last-inning rally, as two final outs were recorded.
Pierson got the no-decision, pitching 2 2-3 innings, allowing five earned runs on six walks and three hits. He struck out one.
Campbell earned the win, going 4 1-3 innings for LC. He allowed one earned run on three hits and no walks. Campbell struck out 10.
Campbell had nine consecutive strikeouts and struck out 10 of 16 batters faced.
Miller was charged with the loss. He pitched seven innings, allowing seven runs (five earned) on 10 hits and three walks. The senior struck out five.
Leading FHS at the plate was Adams, who finished 2-for-4.
For LC, Fawley was 3-for-4 with three RBIs, two runs and one steal. Lanier was 3-for-4.[[In-content Ad]]