The Fairfield Lady Lions (3-0, 1-0 SHAC) defeated the Paint Valley Lady Bearcats (1-3, 0-1 SVC) of the Scioto Valley Conference 11-1 in a game played Saturday afternoon at the Fairfield Baseball/Softball complex. The Fairfield Lady Lions, for the third consecutive game, logged doubled digit hits. Lauren Arnold, Kaiti White, and Layla Hattan lead the 11 hit attack with two hits each. Kaiti White continued her dominance in the circle limiting the Lady Bearcats to an unearned run on two hits while striking out 8.
The Fairfield Lady Lion’s defense and Kaiti White quickly dispatched of the Paint Valley Lady Bearcats in the top of the first inning with a pop fly and two strikeouts. Fairfield then took the early lead with a run in the bottom of the first inning. With no one on base and two outs, Kaiti White hit a rocket back to the circle that Paint Valley pitcher Abbi Stanforth was able to deflect with her pitching hand. But Abbi Stanforth after receiving medical attention to her hand shook off the injury and stayed in the game. Harley Flint entered the game as a courtesy runner for White and advanced to third base on a double to fence in centerfield by Layla Hattan. Lauren Arnold followed with a base on balls. Taylor Lawson then laced an rbi single to left field to drive in Flint.
Fairfield added five runs in the bottom of the second inning. Hayleigh Lowe started the inning with a single to right field. Halle Hamilton and Lyndee Spargur drew back to back walks to load the bases. Megan Gragg drove in two runs and was safe on a ground ball error through the right side of the infield. Kaiti White drove in Spargur with an infield single up the middle. Gragg and Flint running for White would score on a wild pitches to complete the scoring in the inning.
The Lady Lions would cross the plate three more times in the bottom of the third inning. Halle Hamilton and Lyndee Spargur drew back to back walks to lead off the inning. Megan Gragg loaded the bases with a bunt single. Later in the inning, Lauren Arnold would triple to the fence in left field to complete the scoring.
Meanwhile on the defensive side of the ball, Kaiti White and the Lady Lions defense would retire the first ten Lady Bearcat hitters in order. Two errors in the top of the fourth inning would give Paint Valley their first base runners of the game, but both were left stranded. Paint Valley would cross the plate with an unearned run in the top of the fifth inning on singles by Abbi Stanforth and Charlize Boggs and a Lady Lions’ throwing error.
Fairfield would end the game early with two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Kaiti White led off the inning with a base on balls and Lyndee Spargur singled to centerfield. Lauren Arnold stepped to the plate and promptly doubled to drive in Flint running for White and Spargur and end the game.
Leading hitters for the Lady Lions: Lyndee Spargur (1 for 2, 2 runs), Megan Gragg (1 for 4, 2 runs, 1 rbi), Kaiti White (2 for 2, 4 runs, 1 rbi), Layla Hattan (2 for 4, double, 3 runs), Lauren Arnold (2 for 2, 2 walks, double, triple, 3 rbi), Taylor Lawson (1 for 2, 1 rbi), Molly Thackston (1 for 3), Hayleigh Lowe (1 for 3, 1 run), Halle Hamilton (0 for 1, 2 walks, 1 run).
Abbi Stanforth and Charlize Boggs had singles for Paint Valley.
Kaiti White (3-0) was the winning pitcher for Fairfield. Kaiti’s Pitching line: 5 innings, 2 hits, 1 run, no earned runs, 1 walk, and 8 strikeouts. Abbi Stanforth (1-3) suffered the loss for Paint Valley. Stanforth’s pitching line: 4 innings, 11 hits, 11 runs, 10 earned runs, 9 walks, and 1 strikeout.
The Fairfield Lady Lions will travel to North Adams High School in Seaman, Ohio to play the North Adams Lady Devils in a varsity and JV doubleheader on Monday, April 1st. First pitch of the varsity game is 5:00 PM with the JV game to follow. It is big week for the Lady Lions with four Southern Hills Athletic Conference games including Fayetteville and Eastern Brown.
Tom Purtell, the Lady Lions Assistant Coach, submitted this story.
