Fourth-inning success leads to SHAC victory for Fairfield over Lynchburg-Clay

LEESBURG — On Friday night, the Fairfield Lions overcame a one-run deficit with four runs in the sixth inning to win over the “host” Lynchburg-Clay Mustangs, as LCHS was the home team at Fairfield, winning by a 4-1 score.

Due to field conditions at LCHS following two consecutive days of inclement weather, the Mustangs were the host team in Leesburg on Friday and held a 1-0 lead after the bottom of the fourth inning where Cole Wells scored off an infield error with two outs.

LCHS held the one-run lead in the Southern Hills Athletic Conference game until the top of the sixth inning when the Lions took advantage of their own contact at the plate, plus some Mustang errors, for the eventual 4-1 win.

The sixth inning saw Zane Matthews take first base on a line drive hit to right field with one out, followed by Gabe Fouch forcing a five-pitch walk, moving Matthews to second base. Matthews stole third base, Fouch stole second base and the bases were loaded with a walk by Cade Miller.

Fairfield tied the score at 1-1 with Corbin Willey being hit by a pitch with the bases loaded (scoring Matthews) and took a 2-1 advantage with a bunt single off the bat of Landry Hattan, scoring Fouch. The score went to 4-1 with Miller scoring off a passed ball and Willey scoring when Noah Allering hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield.

The Lions ended the game with four hits and two errors, while LCHS had three hits and one error.

Matthews finished 1-for-4 with one run and a steal. Fouch was 2-for-2 with one run, three steals and one RBI. Miller scored a run and forced a walk in the win. Willey totaled one run, was hit by two pitches and had one RBI, while teammate Hattan was 1-for-3 with an RBI. Also for the Lions, Allering had an RBI.

Miller was the winning pitcher, tossing a complete seven-inning game. Miller allowed one unearned run on three hits and one walk, while collecting 10 strikeouts, throwing 91 pitches, 61 for strikes. Miller faced 27 batters in the game.

For the Mustangs, Josiah Burns was 1-for-3, Wells went 1-for-3 (a double) with a run and Brayden Oberrecht finished 1-for-3. Also for LCHS, Asher Faust had a walk and steal.  

Wells was charged with the loss, pitching 5.1 innings, allowing three earned runs on three hits and two walks, with five strikeouts. Braedon West pitched 1.2 innings in relief where he allowed one unearned run on one hit and no walks and three strikeouts. Wells threw 86 pitches, 55 for strikes, while West threw 25 pitches, 17 for strikes.

The win moves the Lions to 4-1 overall, with a SHAC Division I record of 2-0, as they defeated LCHS earlier this season by a 3-2 score on March 28. The Mustangs move to 1-6 overall.