Regional Preview: Lady Lions prepare for Green Wave 
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
LEESBURG — Great focus, not being satisfied and an overall fine attention to detail are just three ways to describe the Division IV No. 2 state-ranked Fairfield Lady Lions.
One day (weather permitting) before their D IV Regional semifinal game against the Newark Catholic Green Wave, the Lady Lions had one last opportunity to fine-tune their skills outside, on a sunny day, at one of their softball fields at Fairfield High School.
The time is now for the Lady Lions, who are 18-2 on the season, as they have prepared for this game since the first day of practices.
"Preparation has been great this week," Fairfield head coach Matthew Zimmerman said. "Of course, we have been inside (this week) until today, but we've had a great attitude, we've worked very hard, and they enjoyed the great win we had last Saturday for the weekend. Then we started right back to work on Monday.
"We're concentrating on infield and outfield today since we are outside, and we are having another pitcher throw batting practice to us and we will stay out here and work on it as long as it takes."
This postseason the Lady Lions have dominated in all aspects, as their defense hasn't allowed a single run, along with outscoring their opponents, 22-0, with 34 hits while committing zero errors in three games.
Besides the battery of pitcher Lauren Larrick and catcher Whitney Hanenkrat, the defense of the Lady Lions includes an infield of Shelby Smithson (first base), Abby Thackston (second base), Heather Huff (shortstop) and Kortney Paris (third base). The outfield includes Kylie Bates (right field), Danielle Butler (centerfield) and Jade Shelton (left field).
"We are the only team in the bracket that hasn't allowed a run in this tournament," Zimmerman said. "We are confident in ourselves, and we just talked about (before the practice) there is a reason why our pitcher has done so well, and it is because she has a great defense behind her."
Larrick has over 100 strikeouts this season, and has pitched 31 straight scoreless innings headed into the regional semifinal.
Getting to practice outside Wednesday is huge for the Lady Lions (who are the 2011 Div. II Southern Hills League champions), according to assistant coach Tom Purtell, who said it makes a big difference. He stated being inside was OK at times, but being on the field a day before the game is huge.
"We've played with a lot of confidence all season, and for that, I have to credit the seniors," Purtell said. "We spend a lot of time about preparing mentally for the game and knowing how you have to play with confidence.
"We are playing a team that has had a good season and have played well in the tournament."
"The girls are confident, and it's just a great atmosphere right now," Zimmerman said. "Plus, getting to practice outside is fantastic. It's more of a mindset than anything else. We are going to mentally prepare out here on the diamond and get into situations we will see in our next game."
As for No. 6 state-ranked Newark Catholic (19-8), they use two pitchers in sophomore Maggie Yochum and senior Abbey Fetter. Yochum was the winner of the district semifinal game, and Fetter won the district final game. Combined this postseason, the duo has 48 strikeouts in 24 innings.
Newark Catholic has won the following tournament games: 10-0 vs. Marion Catholic, 13-0 vs. Morral Ridgedale, 2-1 vs. Millersport and 1-0 vs. Lancaster Fisher Catholic.
Both Green Wave pitchers are hard throwers, according to Purtell.
"I don't see either one of them as being a finesse pitcher," he said. "They are 'here it is and hit it,' and for us, we like hitting the hard throwers and have done extremely well against that type of pitching."
At the start of every season, coaches across the state talk about their non-league schedule and how it helps prepare them for the postseason, and in the case of the Lady Lions, it has worked, as they have played Division II teams such as Washington C.H., Unioto and McClain, all of whom had successful seasons. Unioto was one of just two teams to defeat FHS this season; the other was Eastern Brown.
"We try to schedule the most difficult schools we can play," Zimmerman said. "We play Division II and III, and we only play three Division IV schools. All of our non-league opponents are bigger schools and good programs, so we can get used to the type of play when we get to the tournament. That's our goal, and I'm a big fan of being prepared. We have to play stiffer competition to get to this level."
"Teams like Unioto, we need to play them every year to keep our program at this level."
Purtell also talked about having a tough schedule during the regular season.
"I think it highlights the Southern Hills League doesn't get the respect it deserves. The league had three teams in the district tournament this year. It also points to the fact where we were in a 1-0 game in the seventh inning last Saturday (against Belpre), and that has to help us when we play in the regional game."
But it comes back to the focus of the Lady Lions and how they can treat the game as normal as possible, though it is a big game for the program, who last played in a regional semifinal in 2006.
"Obviously, it will be different, but we are trying to speak with the girls and help them understand we want them to treat this as normal as we can," Purtell said. "That's why we are getting on a yellow bus, doing no special things that we wouldn't have done for a game in the regular season."
Again, in preparation for the regionals, Zimmerman talked about what he told his team before their final practice on Wednesday.
"I told them we will stay focused on what we need to do," he said. "Non-starters, as well as starters, will be at the fence cheering, and we will not look beyond that fence. We will be 100-percent focused on what we have to do, and we have done that very well this season, and that's why we are winning."
Again, it comes back to focus and this Lady Lion team.
"This senior class has finally decided this is it … this is their final year. This senior class has been a part of a 78-16 record since eighth grade. They have been focused for a long time," Zimmerman said. "Last year, we had off the field issues with our focus, but this year all the coaches agreed that we will have discipline, and that is the key.
"The focus helps us do the little things right and it showed last Saturday on that squeeze play."
Purtell also talked about their focus of the Lady Lions.
"I think high school kids, and I have been doing to this a long time, they respond to what is expected of them. We expect discipline, and when you are on the softball field you work hard. We expect two hours of undivided attention to softball, and everything else can wait. It's not that softball is the most important thing in their life, but for the two hours they are here it is."
Zimmerman had one final thing to say to the community.
"I want to thank the fans for supporting us this season. We have had great fan support in all of our tournament games. The girls deserve everything they get because they have worked very hard, he said. "Not that everyone else hasn't worked hard, but this group of young ladies has worked hard as a team to get to this point, and I'm not the easiest person to get along with.
"They deserve to be here. It's not a fluke we are here and we have been focused from day one."
Fairfield and Newark Catholic are scheduled to have a first pitch on Thursday at 5 p.m. at Pickerington High School.[[In-content Ad]]
One day (weather permitting) before their D IV Regional semifinal game against the Newark Catholic Green Wave, the Lady Lions had one last opportunity to fine-tune their skills outside, on a sunny day, at one of their softball fields at Fairfield High School.
The time is now for the Lady Lions, who are 18-2 on the season, as they have prepared for this game since the first day of practices.
"Preparation has been great this week," Fairfield head coach Matthew Zimmerman said. "Of course, we have been inside (this week) until today, but we've had a great attitude, we've worked very hard, and they enjoyed the great win we had last Saturday for the weekend. Then we started right back to work on Monday.
"We're concentrating on infield and outfield today since we are outside, and we are having another pitcher throw batting practice to us and we will stay out here and work on it as long as it takes."
This postseason the Lady Lions have dominated in all aspects, as their defense hasn't allowed a single run, along with outscoring their opponents, 22-0, with 34 hits while committing zero errors in three games.
Besides the battery of pitcher Lauren Larrick and catcher Whitney Hanenkrat, the defense of the Lady Lions includes an infield of Shelby Smithson (first base), Abby Thackston (second base), Heather Huff (shortstop) and Kortney Paris (third base). The outfield includes Kylie Bates (right field), Danielle Butler (centerfield) and Jade Shelton (left field).
"We are the only team in the bracket that hasn't allowed a run in this tournament," Zimmerman said. "We are confident in ourselves, and we just talked about (before the practice) there is a reason why our pitcher has done so well, and it is because she has a great defense behind her."
Larrick has over 100 strikeouts this season, and has pitched 31 straight scoreless innings headed into the regional semifinal.
Getting to practice outside Wednesday is huge for the Lady Lions (who are the 2011 Div. II Southern Hills League champions), according to assistant coach Tom Purtell, who said it makes a big difference. He stated being inside was OK at times, but being on the field a day before the game is huge.
"We've played with a lot of confidence all season, and for that, I have to credit the seniors," Purtell said. "We spend a lot of time about preparing mentally for the game and knowing how you have to play with confidence.
"We are playing a team that has had a good season and have played well in the tournament."
"The girls are confident, and it's just a great atmosphere right now," Zimmerman said. "Plus, getting to practice outside is fantastic. It's more of a mindset than anything else. We are going to mentally prepare out here on the diamond and get into situations we will see in our next game."
As for No. 6 state-ranked Newark Catholic (19-8), they use two pitchers in sophomore Maggie Yochum and senior Abbey Fetter. Yochum was the winner of the district semifinal game, and Fetter won the district final game. Combined this postseason, the duo has 48 strikeouts in 24 innings.
Newark Catholic has won the following tournament games: 10-0 vs. Marion Catholic, 13-0 vs. Morral Ridgedale, 2-1 vs. Millersport and 1-0 vs. Lancaster Fisher Catholic.
Both Green Wave pitchers are hard throwers, according to Purtell.
"I don't see either one of them as being a finesse pitcher," he said. "They are 'here it is and hit it,' and for us, we like hitting the hard throwers and have done extremely well against that type of pitching."
At the start of every season, coaches across the state talk about their non-league schedule and how it helps prepare them for the postseason, and in the case of the Lady Lions, it has worked, as they have played Division II teams such as Washington C.H., Unioto and McClain, all of whom had successful seasons. Unioto was one of just two teams to defeat FHS this season; the other was Eastern Brown.
"We try to schedule the most difficult schools we can play," Zimmerman said. "We play Division II and III, and we only play three Division IV schools. All of our non-league opponents are bigger schools and good programs, so we can get used to the type of play when we get to the tournament. That's our goal, and I'm a big fan of being prepared. We have to play stiffer competition to get to this level."
"Teams like Unioto, we need to play them every year to keep our program at this level."
Purtell also talked about having a tough schedule during the regular season.
"I think it highlights the Southern Hills League doesn't get the respect it deserves. The league had three teams in the district tournament this year. It also points to the fact where we were in a 1-0 game in the seventh inning last Saturday (against Belpre), and that has to help us when we play in the regional game."
But it comes back to the focus of the Lady Lions and how they can treat the game as normal as possible, though it is a big game for the program, who last played in a regional semifinal in 2006.
"Obviously, it will be different, but we are trying to speak with the girls and help them understand we want them to treat this as normal as we can," Purtell said. "That's why we are getting on a yellow bus, doing no special things that we wouldn't have done for a game in the regular season."
Again, in preparation for the regionals, Zimmerman talked about what he told his team before their final practice on Wednesday.
"I told them we will stay focused on what we need to do," he said. "Non-starters, as well as starters, will be at the fence cheering, and we will not look beyond that fence. We will be 100-percent focused on what we have to do, and we have done that very well this season, and that's why we are winning."
Again, it comes back to focus and this Lady Lion team.
"This senior class has finally decided this is it … this is their final year. This senior class has been a part of a 78-16 record since eighth grade. They have been focused for a long time," Zimmerman said. "Last year, we had off the field issues with our focus, but this year all the coaches agreed that we will have discipline, and that is the key.
"The focus helps us do the little things right and it showed last Saturday on that squeeze play."
Purtell also talked about their focus of the Lady Lions.
"I think high school kids, and I have been doing to this a long time, they respond to what is expected of them. We expect discipline, and when you are on the softball field you work hard. We expect two hours of undivided attention to softball, and everything else can wait. It's not that softball is the most important thing in their life, but for the two hours they are here it is."
Zimmerman had one final thing to say to the community.
"I want to thank the fans for supporting us this season. We have had great fan support in all of our tournament games. The girls deserve everything they get because they have worked very hard, he said. "Not that everyone else hasn't worked hard, but this group of young ladies has worked hard as a team to get to this point, and I'm not the easiest person to get along with.
"They deserve to be here. It's not a fluke we are here and we have been focused from day one."
Fairfield and Newark Catholic are scheduled to have a first pitch on Thursday at 5 p.m. at Pickerington High School.[[In-content Ad]]