The Fairfield Lady Lions traveled Monday to North Adams High School to play the much improved Lady Devils in a Southern Hills Athletic Conference game. North Adams (4-5 overall, 2-1 SHAC) entered the game as the first place team in the SHAC large school division. But this afternoon the Fairfield Lady Lions (6-5 overall, 3-2 SHAC) played their best game of the season to defeat the Lady Devils 11-1 in five innings.
This afternoon saw the Lady Lions put together a complete game with great pitching, aggressive base running, great hitting including five extra base hits, and no errors.
Caitlyn Quickle and Katelyn Chambliss combined to limit North Adams to only one hit and one earned run.
Lady Lion hitters were led by Jobey Hattan with three hits including a home run, Caitlyn Quickle with two hits and a triple, and Rilee Quickle with two hits including a triple.
Fairfield scored two runs in the top of the first inning to take the early lead. The Lady Lions returned to their roots, manufacturing runs with bunts and aggressive baserunning. Rilee Quickle drew a base on balls to lead off the inning. Hattan laid down the perfect bunt for a base hit as Rilee Quickle raced all the way to third base on the play. Hattan stole second base to put both runners in scoring position. One out later, Emmi Vance plated Rilee Quickle with a ground ball to the left side of the infield as Hattan advanced to third base. Carly Sanders then singled to center field to score Hattan.
Starting pitcher Caitlyn Quickle was dominating in the bottom of the first inning striking out the side in order.
Fairfield took a commanding lead in the top of the second inning with six runs. Addison Bales doubled to lead off the inning, Sydney Hooper followed with a single up the middle, Ally Maynard singled to left field, Rilee Quickle tripled to drive in two runs, Hattan singled and Vance circled the bases on a triple and a throwing error.
North Adams made the score 8-1 with a run in the bottom of the second inning. Paige Evans drew a walk to lead off the inning and Karis Tumbleson followed with a double to the center field fence.
The Fairfield Lady Lions completed the scoring with three runs in the top of the third inning. Maynard was hit by a pitch, Rilee Quickle singled and Hattan hit an inside park home run to center field.
Katelyn Chambliss entered the game in relief of Quickle, shutting out the Lady Devils in the fourth and fifth innings on no hits.
Tom Purtell is a Fairfield softball coach.
