Fairfield gains wins against Whiteoak and Fayetteville

After six days off due to weather, the Fairfield Lady Lions returned to the softball field on a sunny day (Thursday, April 17) at the Fairfield Baseball/Softball Complex in Leesburg. In a Southern Hills Athletic Conference game, the Lady Lions shut out the Whiteoak Lady Wildcats by a 10-0 score.  

Rilee Quickle was brilliant on the mound, pitching a one-hit shutout while striking out six batters in the five-inning game.

In the top of the first inning, Quickle quickly retired the first two Lady Wildcats batters, then gave up the only hit of the game for Whiteoak to Elly McMullen, a Texas Leaguer just over second base. 

The Lady Lions scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning. starting with Quickle leading off the inning with a triple down the right field line. Ally Maynard grounded out to the second baseman to drive home Quickle. Jobey Hattan ripped a single to centerfield and stole second base. She then advanced to third base when the throw went through and scored a run on a wild pitch.

Carly Sanders and Kelsie Crowder drew consecutive walks, then Alyssa Bales had an infield single to load the bases. Sanders scored on a wild pitch, followed by Jorgia Smith also drawing a walk to load the bases, but Fairfield left the bases loaded.

Fairfield scored two more runs in the bottom of the second inning. Again, Quickle led off the inning with a single to left field and stole second base. Maynard was hit by a pitch, and both runners advanced to the next base on a wild pitch. Hattan hit a deep sacrifice fly to centerfield to score Quickle as Maynard advanced to third base. Sanders hit a hard ground ball to the shortstop to drive in Maynard.

FHS scored another run in the bottom of the third inning on singles by Smith and Avery Morrow.

The home team Lady Lions completed the scoring in the bottom of the fourth inning with four runs.  

Hattan and Sanders walked to lead off the inning. Kelsie Crowder doubled to the fence in centerfield to drive in Hattan and Sanders and was thrown out trying to stretch it into a triple. Smith and Avery Morrow walked and scored on a bunt single and error off the bat of Whitlee Morrow.

The Lady Lions played errorless softball behind Quickle, who picked up her eighth win.

Leading hitters for the Lady Lions: Quickle (2-for-3, triple, two runs), Ally Maynard (HBP, one run, one RBI), Hattan (1-for-1, SAC fly, two runs, one RBI), Sanders (two runs, one RBI), Crowder (1-for-2, double, two RBI), Bales (1-for-3), Smith (1-for-1, two runs), Avery Morrow (1-for-2, one run) and Whitlee Morrow (1-for-3, one RBI).                

Quickle was the winning pitcher for Fairfield, throwing five innings, allowing no runs on one hit and no walks, with six strikeouts. 

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It was an absolutely beautiful day for softball on Friday, April 18 as the Fairfield Lady Lions traveled to Fayetteville High School to play the Lady Rockets in a classic Southern Hills Athletic Conference battle.  

Fairfield and Fayetteville have often battled for the top spot in the SHAC Division II and this game was classic between the two rivals, but the Fairfield defeated the the Lady Rockets, 6-4.

Jobey Hattan finished 3-for-3 with a run and a stolen base, while  Ally Maynard went go 2-for-3 with a run, an RBI, and two stolen bases to lead the Fairfield 11-hit attack.  

Eight different Fairfield batters had hits and six different batters scored runs in the game. Rilee Quickle continued to pitch outstanding softball giving up only three unearned runs and scattered seven hits to pick up her ninth win of the season.

Fayetteville took the early lead with a run in the bottom of the first inning. Lady Rocket centerfielder Lilly Carlier got her first of four hits on the day with an infield single to lead off the inning. She scored a run on an RBI single to left field off the bat of Ryley Kleemeyer, and the Lady Rockets held a 1-0 lead.

Fairfield took the lead at 2-1 with two runs in the top of the third inning. Maynard was hit by pitch and stole second base. Hattan singled to advance to Maynard to third base. Hattan then stole second base. Maynard then scored on a wild pitch and Hattan advanced to third base.  

Hattan scored on a SAC fly to right field off the bat of Kelsie Crowder.

Fayetteville answered in the bottom of the third inning with a run to tie the score 2-2. Again, Carlier doubled to left field, and advanced to third base on a wild pitch. She scored on a SAC fly by Chloe Cox.

The Lady Lions made a statement in the top of the sixth inning scoring four runs on seven hits. In the inning, Crowder singled, Bales had a bunt single, Jorgia Smith had an RBI single, Avery Morrow had a bunt single, Quickle had an RBI double, Maynard had a single to knock in a run, and Hattan singled.

Fayetteville scored a run in the bottom of the sixth inning to tighten the score to 6-3. 

Quickle take to the circle in the bottom of the seventh inning and quickly retired the first two Lady Rocket batters, but again Carlier doubled to left field for her fourth hit of the game and later scored on an error.  

Maynard made a running catch in left centerfield to end the game.

Leading hitters for the Lady Lions: Quickle (1-for-4, double, one run, one RBI), Maynard (2-for-3, one run, one RBI), Hattan (3-for- 3, one run), Crowder (1-for-3, SAC fly, one run, one RBI), Bales (1-for-3), Smith (1-for-4, one run, one RBI), Avery Morrow (1-for- 2) and Whitlee Morrow (1-for-4).                 

Quickle (9-1) was the winning pitcher for Fairfield, pitching seven innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on seven hits, no walks and six strikeouts.