Fairfield Lady Lions post big wins over Manchester, Fayetteville
Monday (April 29) the Fairfield Lady Lions took a big step forward in their pursuit of an eighth consecutive Southern Hills Athletic Conference championship, as they traveled to Manchester High School to play the Manchester Lady Greyhounds and won by a 12-8 score.
The SHAC game featured two of the top pitchers in the conference in Fairfield’s Caitlyn Quickle and Manchester’s Rylie Young.
Fans expected a pitcher’s duel, but instead they were treated to an offensive game with a combined total of 20 runs on 26 hits. Still, both pitchers battled to the end, keeping the game in question until the final inning.
The high-powered Lady Lions offense built an early lead and battled as the Lady Greyhounds rallied in the later innings.
Fairfield loaded the bases in the top of the first inning, but Manchester’s Young got a foul pop fly to end the threat. In the bottom of the first inning and with one out, Young doubled, but Fairfield’s Quickle retired the next two hitters to end the threat.
The Lady Lions got on the scoreboard first with five runs in the top of the second inning. Addison Bales singled to centerfield to lead off the inning, and Sydney Hooper was safe on a bunt single.
One out later, Rilee Quickle loaded the bases with a bunt single. Jobey Hattan stepped to the plate and ripped a double down the left field line to clear the bases. Caitlyn Quickle followed with a double to centerfield to score Hattan.
Whitlee Morrow entered the game as a courtesy runner for Caitlyn Quickle and advanced to third base on a wild pitch. Emmi Vance hit a fly ball to deep centerfield to score Morrow on the sacrifice fly.
The high-powered Lady Lions saw the bottom of their lineup get the ball rolling with three more runs in the top of the third inning. Katelyn Chambliss singled to centerfield to lead off the inning. Bales followed with a bunt single and Hooper was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Ally Maynard grounded out to the first baseman to score Chambliss. Rilee Quickle laced a single to left centerfield to drive home Bales and Hooper.
Fairfield took a commanding 9-0 lead with a run in the top of the fourth inning. Carly Sanders drew a base on balls to lead off the inning. Two outs later, Hooper tripled to right center field to score Sanders.
Manchester rallied with three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning and two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to make the score 9-5. Both teams failed to score in the sixth inning.
Fairfield added three runs in the top of the seventh inning. With one out, Hattan doubled to left field. Caitlyn Quickle scored Hattan with a single to right centerfield. Morrow entered the game as a courtesy runner for Quickle.
Vance was safe on an infield hit, Sanders was safe on a bunt single, Chambliss walked and Hooper was safe on an infield error.
Manchester rallied again with three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. Young walked to lead off the inning, Bristynn McClanahan singled, Elliana Applegate doubled and Abby Neria singled, but Caitlyn Quickle reached back to strike out the last batter to seal the victory.
Fairfield pounded out 17 hits on the afternoon, as leading hitters for the Lady Lions included: Rilee Quickle (2-for-5, one run, two RBI), Hattan (3-for-4, two doubles, two runs, three RBI), Caitlyn Quickle (3-for-5, double, two runs, two RBI), Vance (2- for-4, SAC, two RBI), Sanders (1-for-4, two runs), Chambliss (1-for-4, one run), Bales (2-for-5, two runs), Hooper (3- for-4, triple, two runs, one RBI) and Maynard (one RBI).
Caitlyn Quickle (12-4) picked up the win for Fairfield, pitching seven innings, allowing eight runs four earned) and three walks, with 10 strikeouts.
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A rainy Tuesday morning in southern Ohio gave way to sunshine in the afternoon, but the rain forced a change in venue as the game was switched to Fairfield High School as Fayetteville’s fields were too wet, winning by a 13-4 score.
The Lady Lions (15-5, 9-2 SHAC) was the visiting team on the scoreboard while playing on their home field. The game featured the top two teams in the SHAC, the first-place Lady Rockets and second-place Lady Lions.
For the second day in a row, the game featured two of the top pitchers in the SHAC in Fairfield’s Caitlyn Quickle (13-4) and Fayetteville’s Izzy Waddle (10-2). Quickle scattered five hits and allowed two runs en route to her 13th victory of the season.
The Lady Lions offense was focused and determined as they stepped to the plate against Waddle. Rilee Quickle led off the game with a solid base hit to centerfield, Jobey Hattan followed with a double off the fence in left centerfield to advance Rilee Quickle to third base.
Caitlyn Quickle doubled to centerfield to score Rilee Quickle and Hattan. Whitlee Morrow entered the game as a courtesy runner for Caitlyn Quickle, and Emmi Vance followed with a mammoth home run into the parking lot beyond the centerfield fence.
Sanders followed with her own home run blast off the hood of a car in the parking lot beyond the left fence.
Katelyn Chambliss drew a base on balls, as the first six Lady Lions batters reached base.
One out later, Sydney Hooper reached on an infield single. Ally Maynard drew a walk to load the bases. Rilee Quickle, in her second at-bat of the inning, drove a deep sacrifice fly to left field to score Chambliss. Hooper then scored on a wild pitch to complete the seven-run first inning.
Fayetteville answered with two runs in the bottom of the second inning on three consecutive base hits from Summer Williams, Lilli Allender and Ava Wells.
Fayetteville’s Waddle gave way to Lydia Jordan in the circle in the top of the third inning. Jordan gave up a lead off double to Caitlyn Quickle, then struck out the next three Lady Lions in order.
Caitlyn Quickle was brilliant in the circle in the third, fourth and fifth innings, shutting out the Lady Rockets and retiring 10 of the last 11 batters on no hits.
Hattan doubled to lead off the top of the fourth inning for the Lady Lions. Caitlyn Quickle followed with a single to centerfield to score Hattan.
Morrow, running for Quickle, scored on a single to centerfield by Vance. One out later, Chambliss hit a line drive down the right field line that Fayetteville right fielder Jada Kassner made a diving catch in foul territory. Vance tagged up on the catch and scored from second base to score a sacrifice fly for Chambliss.
Fairfield completed the scoring in the top of the fifth inning with three runs. With two outs and no one on base, Rilee Quickle singled to left field. Hattan singled to left centerfield and Rilee Quickle scored all the way from first base. Caitlyn Quickle then hit a home run over the centerfield fence for the Lady Lions third home run of the game.
Fairfield pounded out 14 hits on the afternoon, and the leading hitters for the Lady Lions included: Rilee Quickle (2-for-3, two runs, one RBI), Hattan 3-for-4, two doubles, three runs, one RBI), Caitlyn Quickle (4-for-4, two doubles, home run, five RBI), Vance (2-for-4, home run, two runs, three RBI), Sanders (1-for-3, home run, one run, one RBI), Chambliss (SAC, one run, one RBI), Hooper (2-for-3, one run, one RBI) and Maynard (one walk).
Quickle (13-4) picked up the win for Fairfield. She pitched five innings, allowing two earned runs on five hits and no walks, with five strikeouts.
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