Lady Lions avenge earlier loss; defeat Lady Warriors
Lead Summary
By
The Highland County Press-
SARDINIA — Thursday was a rematch from 10 days ago between the top two teams in the Southern Hills League. The Fairfield Lady Lions and the Eastern Brown Lady Warriors entered the game as the top teams in the league, but this time around it was the Lady Lions gaining the win, defeating EB, 5-2 at EBHS.
In their first meeting, EB defeated FHS, 1-0 at VA Memorial Stadium in Chillicothe in a non-league game.
The big difference this time around was that the Lady Lions' hitters pounded out 10 hits, forcing the Eastern coaches to use multiple pitchers in attempt to keep FHS (8-0, 11-1) off-balanced, as Eastern (7-2, 9-3) made six pitching changes in the game.
Heather Huff led off the game with a line drive single to left field, advancing to second when the ball skipped by the left fielder. Danielle Butler singled to the right side of the infield, allowing Huff to score from second base. Butler advanced to second base on the throw to the plate.
Abby Thackston hit a two-strike pitch to right-center field moving Butler to third. After a pitching change by Eastern, Whitney Hanenkrat was hit by a pitch to load the bases with no outs. Eastern's Emily Tatman retired the next three batters, keeping the Lady Lions' lead at one run.
Fairfield's Lauren Larrick also got out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the second inning. Eastern tied the score at one with an unearned run in the bottom of the third inning.
The Lady Lions bounced back in the next inning to take a 2-1 lead.
Courtney Huff entered the game as a pinch hitter for the injured Kortney Paris, leading off the top of the fourth with a line drive single to right-center field. Shelby Smithson laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Courtney Huff to second base. Jade Shelton singled to centerfield, moving Huff to third base.
Sirenity Smith hit a ground ball to the shortstop and Huff broke for home sliding in just ahead of the tag. A single by Heather Huff, again, loaded the bases, but another pitching change went in favor of EB, ending the FHS rally.
Eastern tied the game at two with an unearned run in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Fairfield scored in their next trip to the plate.
With two outs, and bases empty, Heather Huff was hit by a pitch and stole second base. Butler was safe on an infield hit when she and the first baseman collided at first base. While that happened, Huff raced home to make the score 3-2.
Thackston doubled to the fence in left field, allowing Butler to score from first base. After another pitching change by EB, Hanenkrat singled to left field, scoring Thackston.
In the bottom of the sixth, Heather Huff stopped a potential rally by EB, making an unassisted double play with a catch of a line drive off the bat of Katy Mullins. After the catch, Huff made a diving tag on Newman as she herself was diving back to second base.
Larrick and the Lady Lion defense made short work of the EB hitters in the bottom of the seventh inning, retiring the side in order on just five pitches.
Leading hitters for the Lady Lions included: Heather Huff (2-for-3, two runs), Butler (2-for-3, one run, two RBIs), Thackston (2-for-4, one double, one run, one RBI), Hanenkrat (1-for-3, one RBI), Shelton (1-for-4), Courtney Huff (1-for-3, one run), and Smith (1-for-3, one RBI).
Larrick (11-1) picked up the win for Fairfield. She pitched seven innings, allowing two unearned runs with four hits and two walks. She had five strikeouts.
Tatman suffered the loss for Eastern.
The Fairfield Lady Lions travel to Manchester Friday to play the Manchester Lady Greyhounds at 5 p.m.[[In-content Ad]]
In their first meeting, EB defeated FHS, 1-0 at VA Memorial Stadium in Chillicothe in a non-league game.
The big difference this time around was that the Lady Lions' hitters pounded out 10 hits, forcing the Eastern coaches to use multiple pitchers in attempt to keep FHS (8-0, 11-1) off-balanced, as Eastern (7-2, 9-3) made six pitching changes in the game.
Heather Huff led off the game with a line drive single to left field, advancing to second when the ball skipped by the left fielder. Danielle Butler singled to the right side of the infield, allowing Huff to score from second base. Butler advanced to second base on the throw to the plate.
Abby Thackston hit a two-strike pitch to right-center field moving Butler to third. After a pitching change by Eastern, Whitney Hanenkrat was hit by a pitch to load the bases with no outs. Eastern's Emily Tatman retired the next three batters, keeping the Lady Lions' lead at one run.
Fairfield's Lauren Larrick also got out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the second inning. Eastern tied the score at one with an unearned run in the bottom of the third inning.
The Lady Lions bounced back in the next inning to take a 2-1 lead.
Courtney Huff entered the game as a pinch hitter for the injured Kortney Paris, leading off the top of the fourth with a line drive single to right-center field. Shelby Smithson laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Courtney Huff to second base. Jade Shelton singled to centerfield, moving Huff to third base.
Sirenity Smith hit a ground ball to the shortstop and Huff broke for home sliding in just ahead of the tag. A single by Heather Huff, again, loaded the bases, but another pitching change went in favor of EB, ending the FHS rally.
Eastern tied the game at two with an unearned run in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Fairfield scored in their next trip to the plate.
With two outs, and bases empty, Heather Huff was hit by a pitch and stole second base. Butler was safe on an infield hit when she and the first baseman collided at first base. While that happened, Huff raced home to make the score 3-2.
Thackston doubled to the fence in left field, allowing Butler to score from first base. After another pitching change by EB, Hanenkrat singled to left field, scoring Thackston.
In the bottom of the sixth, Heather Huff stopped a potential rally by EB, making an unassisted double play with a catch of a line drive off the bat of Katy Mullins. After the catch, Huff made a diving tag on Newman as she herself was diving back to second base.
Larrick and the Lady Lion defense made short work of the EB hitters in the bottom of the seventh inning, retiring the side in order on just five pitches.
Leading hitters for the Lady Lions included: Heather Huff (2-for-3, two runs), Butler (2-for-3, one run, two RBIs), Thackston (2-for-4, one double, one run, one RBI), Hanenkrat (1-for-3, one RBI), Shelton (1-for-4), Courtney Huff (1-for-3, one run), and Smith (1-for-3, one RBI).
Larrick (11-1) picked up the win for Fairfield. She pitched seven innings, allowing two unearned runs with four hits and two walks. She had five strikeouts.
Tatman suffered the loss for Eastern.
The Fairfield Lady Lions travel to Manchester Friday to play the Manchester Lady Greyhounds at 5 p.m.[[In-content Ad]]