Fairfield’s Lady Lions were back to their old tricks on Friday when they traveled to Unioto High School to take on the Alexander Lady Spartans in the Division III Southeast District Semi Finals. The Lady Lions advanced to their fourth consecutive District Final via a 9-0 shutout of the Lady Spartans.
Kaiti White was in the circle for Fairfield and recorded a complete game win for the Lady Lions. White struck out four batters, gave up four hits and walked one.
Fairfield’s defense was solid in the game, evidenced by only four strikeouts by White, as the ladies kept the ball in front of them and made the necessary plays when it mattered most. Lyndee Spargur led the way with several phenomenal plays at first base including a diving tag to end the sixth inning.
Fairfield blew the game open in the top of the second inning when they plated eight runs and sent 13 batters to the plate. Layla Hattan opened the inning by drawing a walk and Lauren Arnold reached first on a bunt in the next at bat. Taylor Lawson drove in Hattan with a single and then reached second on the throw to home while Arnold Advanced to third.
Megan Crum replaced Lawson as a pinch runner at second base, and then Molly Thackston doubled to score Arnold and Crum. Megan Gragg was next to the plate and singled to score Thackston and advanced to second on a throw to home. Madison Fox reached base on a fielder’s choice in the next at bat.
Spargur then loaded the bases with a single and Carli Reiber reached on a fielder’s choice that resulted in a force at home to prevent Gragg from scoring. White followed up by hitting into a fielder’s choice that saw Fox forced out at home for the second out of the inning.
Hattan returned to the plate for the second time in the inning and reached on an error, Spargur and Reiber each scored on a wild pitch during Hattan’s at bat to increase Fairfield’s lead to 6-0 with only two outs in the inning. Arnold finished things off with a two RBI single to plate White and Hattan. Lawson drew a walk before Thackston struck out to end the inning with the Lady Lions leading 8-0.
Fairfield added another run in the top of the fourth inning when Hayleigh Lowe, a courtesy runner for White, scored on a single by Arnold.
Fairfield head coach Mark Detwiller was most impressed with his team’s defense after the game and said, “Our defense was absolutely lights out today!”
The Lady Lions advance to the Disrtict Final game today at Unioto High School against Chesapeake with a first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m.
Reach Ryan Applegate at 937-402-2572, or on Twitter @RCApplegate89.
