Lady Lions move to 8-0 in SHAC with wins over Ripley, Eastern

Fairfield’s Kelsie Crowder led the high-powered Fairfield Lady Lions to a 14-3 win over the Ripley Lady Blue Jays on Tuesday, April 22, adding to their Southern Hills Athletic Conference win total.

Crowder had a big game at the plate, finishing with two home runs as she went 3-for-3 with two runs scored and four RBI, plus her third hit was a double.  

Ally Maynard continued to swing a hot bat, going 2-for-3 with three runs scored, three RBI and a bases-loaded triple.

Rilee Quickle was the winning pitcher as she allowed two earned runs on three hits and struck out eight Ripley batters to pick up her 12th win of the season. Maynard came in relief of Quickle to pitch the fifth inning and notched her first save of the season.

Fairfield scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning on a three-run home run to the scoreboard in left-centerfield off the bat of Crowder.

The Lady Lions add six runs in the bottom of the second inning, starting with Avery Morrow and Whitlee Morrow leading off the inning by reaching base on consecutive errors.  

Quickle followed with a walk to load the bases, and Maynard cleared the bases with a triple to the left field fence. Jobey Hattan singled to score Maynard and later scored on a throwing error.  

Crowder hit a home run over the left field fence to give the Lady Lions a 9-0 lead.

Ripley scored two runs in the top of the third inning, but Fairfield quickly answered with three runs in the bottom of the third inning to make the score 12-2.

The Lady Lions added two runs in the bottom of the fourth inning on singles by Quickle and Maynard, plus a sacrifice fly by Hattan to complete the scoring at 14-3.

Leading hitters for the Lady Lions: Quickle (1-for-2, three runs), Maynard (2-for-3, HBP, three runs, three RBI), Hattan (2-for-3, two runs, two RBI), Carly Sanders (1-for-3, double, two runs, two RBI), Crowder (3-for-3, double, two home runs, two runs, four RBI), Alyssa Bales (1-for-1), Avery Morrow (one run), Ava White (1-for-1) and Whitlee Morrow (one run).                 

On Thursday, April 24, a late afternoon rain shower delayed the start of the game, but it didn’t dampen a classic Southern Hills Athletic Conference softball game.

In the 54-year history of the SHAC, the Fairfield Lady Lions and the Eastern Lady Warriors are the two winningest softball programs, as Fairfield has 24 conference titles and Eastern has 19.  

The teams faced off against each other Thursday at the Fairfield Baseball/Softball Complex as the Lady Lions (13-3, 8-0 SHAC) won 2-1 over the Eastern Lady Warriors (10-4, 5-3 SHAC).  

Fairfield continued to play their best softball of the season with Rilee Quickle brilliant in the circle, as the Lady Lion defense made some outstanding defensive plays behind her.

Quickle scattered five hits over seven innings, and after giving up a lone run in the top of the third inning Quickle closed the door, blanking Eastern in the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh innings, allowing only three runners to reach base while striking out eight Lady Warrior batters.

Eastern’s Maddi Simpson led off the game with a double, but Quickle and the Lady Lions defense retired the next three batters to end the threat. Fairfield took an early 1-0 lead with a run in the bottom of the first inning.  

With one out, Ally Maynard ripped a single to centerfield, stole second base and raced to third base when the throw went into centerfield. Jobey Hattan then hit a hard ground ball to the shortstop to score Maynard.

Fairfield added another run in the bottom of the second inning as with one out, Jorgia Smith singled up the middle. Avery Morrow was hit by a pitch, and Whitlee Morrow followed with a bunt single to load the bases with one out.  

Quickle hit a sacrifice fly to short right field as right fielder Raylee Brummett made a strong throw to home plate as Smith tagged up. The throw beat Smith to home plate, but she made a head first hook slide around the tag to score.

Eastern tightened the score to 2-1 with a run in the top of the third inning. Maddi Simpson doubled to right field with one out, and Breeanna Jimison singled to centerfield to score Simpson and advanced to second base on the throw home. That would be the only run Eastern scored on the afternoon.

Both pitchers Allie Grooms of Eastern and Quickle of Fairfield put on a pitching clinic the remainder of the game, but Quickle came away with her 13th win of the season.

The leading hitters for the Lady Lions: Quickle (one RBI), Maynard (1-for-2, one run), Hattan (one RBI), Carly Sanders (1-for-3), Kelsie Crowder (1-for- 3, double), Smith (2-for-3, one run), Avery Morrow (HBP) and Whitlee Morrow (2-for-2).                 

Quickle (13-1), the winning pitcher, pitched seven innings, allowing one earned run on five hits and one walk, with eight strikeouts.

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