Fairfield softball defeats Whiteoak; loses to Adena and Unioto
The Fairfield Lady Lions traveled to Whiteoak High School in Mowrystown Wednesday to face the Whiteoak Lady Wildcats on Senior Day.
The Whiteoak Athletic Department honored their four senior softball players: Elena Limon, Molly McMullen, Bri Hill and Jaylie Parr, as well as Fairfield’s five senior softball players: Addison Bales, Sydney Hooper, Katelyn Chambliss, Emmi Vance and Caitlyn Quickle in pre-game ceremonies.
It was Fairfield’s third game against a Southern Hills Athletic Conference opponent in as many days with the Lady Lions winning, 16-0 as Caitlyn Quickle threw a one-hit shutout.
Fairfield has had an amazing stretch of victories in the last two weeks as they received great pitching, played errorless defense, had 13 hits, executed bunts, hit with power and ran the bases aggressively.
Caitlyn Quickle was brilliant in the circle, throwing a one-hit shutout while striking out eight batters. Quickle also led the Lady Lion offense with two hits, which were a double and home run, plus she collected an RBI.
Fairfield scored five runs in the top of the second inning on four hits, as Addison Bales had a bunt single, Rilee Quickle hit single, Jobey Hattan doubled and Caitlyn Quickle doubled.
The Lady Lions added seven runs in the third inning on two hits as Katelyn Chambliss singled, Sydney Hooper singled and Rilee Quickle doubled in the inning.
Fairfield added three more runs in the fourth inning on three hits, with Rilee Quickle hitting a double and Caitlyn Quickle hit a home run over the centerfield fence.
The Lady Lions completed the scoring in the top of the seventh inning with a single run as a series of freshmen came off the bench to pinch hit.
Jorgia Smith was safe on an error, Alyssa Bales walked, Chloe Spangler singled, Whitlee Morrow singled, Kaitlyn Eidenier walked and Ava White blasted a hard line drive right at the shortstop who turned a double play.
Caitlyn Quickle retired the Lady Wildcats in order in the bottom of the fifth inning on a pop fly to first baseman Katelyn Chambliss and back-to-back strikeouts to seal the victory.
Fairfield pounded out 13 hits for the afternoon and the leading hitters for the Lady Lions were Rilee Quickle (4-for-4, two doubles, three runs, two RBI), Hattan (2-for-4, two runs, one RBI), Caitlyn Quickle (2-for-4, double, home run, four RBI), Vance (two walks, one run), Sanders (1-for-3, one run, three RBI), Chambliss (1-for-2, two runs), Bales (1-for-2, two runs), Hooper (one RBI), Maynard (one RBI), Spangler (1-for-1) and Morrow (1-for-1).
Caitlyn Quickle (14-4) picked up the win for Fairfield, pitching five innings, allowing no runs on one hit, no walks and two hit batters, plus she collected eight strikeouts.
Bri Hill (5-7) suffered the loss for Whiteoak, finishing with four strikeouts.
—-------
The Fairfield Lady Lions softball team suffered a rare loss as they were on an 11-game winning streak, falling to the Adena Lady Warriors, 7-6.
Fairfield’s Katelyn Chambliss got the starting assignment Thursday in the circle facing Adena’s Kiera Williams. Both pitchers allowed runs in the first four innings of the game, but pitched shutout innings in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings, as Chambliss gave up only two earned runs.
The Lady Lions scored three runs in the top of the first inning to take an early lead, starting with a one-out double by Jobey Hattan, and followed by a Caitlyn Quickle intentional walk.
Emmi Vance doubled to drive in Hattan and Quickle, then Carly Sanders drew a walk and stole second base. Vance scored on a throwing error at second base as Sanders took third base on the same error. Chambliss laid down a bunt, but Sanders was tagged out at the plate.
Adena tied the game in the bottom of the first inning with three runs, two of which were unearned. Adena strategically used the bunt to advance runners and score runs.
After a scoreless second inning by both teams, Fairfield scored two runs in the bottom of the third inning. Hattan singled to centerfield, and Caitlyn Quickle again walked, as both later scored on wild pitches.
Adena again answered with two runs in the bottom of the third inning to tie the score at 5-5. Marley Halcomb and Kiera Williams hit consecutive singles to lead off the inning and later scored on passed balls.
Fairfield threatened to have a big inning in the top of the fourth inning, but came away with only one run to take a 6-5 lead.
Addison Bales led off the inning with a walk and advanced to second base on a wild pitch. Sydney Hooper followed with a bunt single, and Bales scored on a throwing error.
Ally Maynard hit a ground ball on the left side, and Hooper was tagged out trying to take third base. Rilee Quickle hit a ground ball back to the pitcher and Maynard was forced out at second base. Rilee Quickle then stole second base, and Hattan was safe on an error on a ground ball, but Quickle was tagged out at the plate trying to score from second base.
Adena scored two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to take a 7-6 lead. With one out, Aselyn Nelson singled to centerfield. Emma Garrison hit a deep fly ball into the gap in left-centerfield. Both left fielder Bales and center fielder Sydney Hooper raced to make the catch and collided with each other both falling to the ground as the ball deflected off the two outfielders and continued to the fence.
Bales was able to get to her feet and get the ball to shortstop Rilee Quickle holding Garrison to a triple as Nelson scored to tie the game. Sydney Hooper remained prone on the field for about 10 minutes as coaches from both dugouts attended to her injury, but was able to leave the field with assistance under her own power. Bales remained in the game as Whitlee Morrow came off the bench as a substitute for Hooper.
Maynard moved to centerfield and Morrow to right field, but Garrison then scored the go-ahead run on a sacrifice bunt.
Vance also had to leave the game in the bottom of the fifth and sixth innings, but recovered to bat in her spot in the seventh inning. Jorgia Smith entered the game for Vance and played right field, while Morrow moved to centerfield and Maynard moved to play second base.
Fairfield put runners on base in the fifth and seventh inning, but couldn’t push the tying run across the plate.
Leading hitters for the Lady Lions included Hattan (2-for-4, two runs), Caitlyn Quickle (two walks), Vance (1-for-3, one run, two RBI), Bales (one walk, one run) and Hooper (1-for-2, one RBI).
Chambliss (2-2) suffered the loss for Fairfield, pitching six innings, allowing seven runs (two earned) on eight hits and one walk, with two strikeouts.
—-------
The Fairfield Lady Lions (16-7, 10-2 SHAC) took the field Friday under the lights at the Fairfield High School Baseball/Softball Complex to face the No. 3 state-ranked team in the Ohio State Division II Poll, the Unioto Lady Sherman Tanks (20-3, 14-0 SVG).
Unioto finished an undefeated conference season just two days before clinching the Scioto Valley Conference championship. The Lady Lion players survived a brutal game the previous day at Adena, and those players nursing injuries showed up refreshed and ready to play except senior centerfielder Sydney Hooper who was still recuperating from her injury, and in the end the Lady Lions lost by a 9-3.
The high-powered offense of the Lady Sherman Tanks scored two runs in the top of the first inning to take the early lead, but the Lady Lions tied the score 2-2 with two runs in the bottom of the first inning.
With one out, Jobey Hattan drew a walk and stole second base. Emmi Vance stepped to the plate with two outs and doubled to the fence in right centerfield to drive home Hattan. Carly Sanders singled to left field and Vance would score.
Unioto took the lead at 5-2 with three runs in the top of the third inning. Caitlyn Quickle looked to get out of a bases loaded two out jam, but Hannah Hull singled to right field and cleared the bases when the ball skipped by the outfielder.
UHS did what good teams do and scored two runs in the fifth inning, followed by one run in the sixth inning and one run in the seventh inning.
Vance hit a mammoth home run over the centerfield fence in the bottom of the sixth inning, as it was her ninth home run of the season.
Leading hitters for the Lady Lions were: Hattan with a single, Carly Sanders with a single, Caitlyn Quickle with a single and Vance with a double and home run.
Caitlyn Quickle (14-5) suffered the loss for Fairfield, pitching six innings while allowing nine runs (five earned) on six hits and four walks, while also finishing with 11 strikeouts.
Rilee Quickle’s pitching line was one inning, two hits, no runs, no walks and no strikeouts.
Publisher's note: A free press is critical to having well-informed voters and citizens. While some news organizations opt for paid websites or costly paywalls, The Highland County Press has maintained a free newspaper and website for the last 25 years for our community. If you would like to contribute to this service, it would be greatly appreciated. Donations may be made to: The Highland County Press, P.O. Box 849, Hillsboro, Ohio 45133. Please include "for website" on the memo line.