Fairfield ends season as district runners-up

CHILLICOTHE — It was a game of many highs for both the Fairfield Lady Lions and Portsmouth West Lady Senators as each hit big home runs in clutch moments, but once the final out was recorded the Lady Lions were unable to hold on to a late-inning lead, resulting in a 9-8 loss to Portsmouth West as they end the season as Division IV SE District runners-up. 

The Lady Lions fought strong for all seven innings against PWHS as they played in a slugfest in the Division VI Southeast District Final game at Unioto High School on Friday, May 23 as the score was tied at 5-5 entering the bottom of the fifth inning, but Fairfield took a three-run lead following a huge three-run home run by freshman Jorgia Smith, putting FHS in front at 8-5. 

From there, though, Portsmouth West chipped away with the final four runs of the game, scoring one run on the top of the sixth with a home run, followed by three final runs in the top of the seventh to eventually hold on for the 9-8 win over Fairfield. 

“Our girls have a lot of grit and a lot of heart, and they've been struggling the last week or so with not scoring as much as they are used to scoring,” FHS head coach Ellen Binegar said. “We've historically been high-scoring games this year, and a couple of them were having a little trouble hitting the ball in the last week or so, but they came alive tonight, and it felt so good to see them succeed, to see their faces light up, to hear the dugout go wild. 

“I'm very proud of them for overcoming those demons, getting their head on the ball, making hard contact. These girls can hit the ball, so I'm very proud of them.”

The start of the game was all Fairfield in the first inning, as the Lady Lions took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first. 

In the bottom of the first inning, Ally Maynard hit a one-out single to left-centerfield and went to second as Jobey Hattan hit an infield single. Maynard scored the first run of the game on a passed ball, and later following a walk by Kelsie Crowder, Hattan scored a run off a sacrifice fly by Carly Sanders for a 2-0 lead. 

Crowder eventually scored when Alyssa Bales singled to knock in Crowder, giving Fairfield a three-run lead. 

Fairfield’s lead went to 3-1 in the top of the second following a home run off the bat of Maleah Whitman on the first pitch of the second inning, sending the ball over the left field fence. 

Fairfield regained the run back in the bottom of the third as Crowder scored her second run of the game. Crowder started the inning with a one-out single hit to centerfield, and with two outs scored a run off a double hit by Bales, as Bales sent the ball to centerfield for a 4-1 lead. 

The Lady Lions’ lead was cut to a single run in the top of the fourth as Portsmouth West scored two runs with Lainey Cook and Erica Whisman rounding the bases. Cook led off the inning with a double to centerfield and eventually scored on a passed ball. Whisman scored her run off a RBI single by Ally Hedge for the 4-3 score. 

The one-run lead jumped back to two runs in the bottom of the fourth for Fairfield when with two outs Rilee Quickle hit a two-out double to right field. Quickle moved to second on a base hit up the middle by Maynard and scored on a two-out RBI double to left field any Hattan. 

The two-run lead for Fairfield was erased by Portsmouth West in the top of the fifth with the Lady Senators scoring two runs in the inning with Brooklyn Pitts and Kyleigh McCleese scoring the game-tying runs. 

Pitts led off the top of the fifth with a bloop base hit to centerfield, and McCleese reached the bases on an infield error. After one out, Pitts scored on a wild pitch, and then Cook hit a single to left field and reached second base on an error in the outfield, allowing McCleese to score a run, tying the score at 5-5. 

Again, the Lady Lions were clutch at the plate, starting with a triple hit to left field by Sanders to lead off the inning. Next, Bales reached first base on an infield error. 

Having two runners on the bases, Smith hit one of the biggest home runs of the game, sending the ball over the right field fence for an 8-5 advantage. 

PWHS got back to within two runs of Fairfield in the top of the sixth with a solo home run by Macie Bradford (who was intentionally walked twice in the game), making the score 8-6. 

Then came the top of the seventh inning when McCleese hit an infield single to lead-off the inning, and she went to second base on a wild pitch. Next was a base hit to right field by Maleah Whitman, scoring McCleese. Cook put PWHS in the lead for good with a two-run home run to left-centerfield for the final 9-8 score. 

In the bottom of the seventh, Quickle hit a two-out single but was left on the bases as the final out was recorded with a fly ball hit to left field. 

Quickle (18-5) was charged with the loss in the circle as she pitched seven innings, allowing nine runs (six earned) on 12 hits and three walks with one strikeout. Layla Kamwer was the winning pitcher, going five innings, allowing five earned runs on 12 hits and no walks with two strikeouts. Ariane Jordan pitched two innings for PWHS and in the no-decision allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits and one walk. 

The Lady Lions batting stats included: Quickle (3-for-5, one run), Maynard (2-for-5, one run), Hattan (2-for-4, one run), Sanders (1-for-3, sac fly, one run, one RBI), Crowder (1-for-3, two runs), Bales (4-for-4, one run, two RBI), Smith (1-for-4, home run, one run, three RBI) and Avery Morrow (1-for-4).

Playing their final game for Fairfield were Jobey Hattan and Carly Sanders. 

“It's reassuring that we don't have to do everything as coaches. Over the years, they've had some fantastic coaches from Little League, you know, age 5 and 6, all the way up through the program,” Binegar said. “Their parents have taught them the game. They've taught them to love the game. They've taught them to be aggressive and passionate and not give up, and they have that to bring into this team, and they've taught that to the underclassmen. 

“They've taught them a lot about unity and not giving up and the fundamentals of hitting the ball and fielding the ball, and when they're not on, then somebody else is, and we couldn't have done that without their leadership.”

FHS finishes the 2025 season with an overall record of 18-7 with a SHAC Div. II first-place record of 12-1. 

“A league title feels really good. We almost had that one thing, it was just out of our reach, but that always leaves a goal for next year, right? We felt really good about beating Manchester on our home turf to seal the sole league championship. That is one thing that we can hang our hat on this year,” Binegar said. 

BOX SCORE
PWHS        010 221 3 — 9
FHS           301 130 0 — 8