The Fairfield Lady Lions (16-1, 9-0 SHAC) returned to Southern Hills Athletic Conference play Tuesday afternoon with a 4-0 shutout of the Fayetteville Lady Rockets (7-5, 5-4 SHAC)at the Fayetteville High School Athletic Complex.
Regardless of records, every time the Fayetteville and Fairfield softball teams play over the last twenty years it is a dog fight. Today’s game was no different.
It was a pitcher’s duel through four innings. Fairfield put runners in scoring position in the first, third, and fourth innings, but each time Fayetteville pitcher Taylor Mechlin retired the Lady Lions without a run.
Kaiti White retired the first ten batters she faced over the first three and a third innings. With one out in the bottom of the fourth inning, Zoe Vilvens and Taylor Mechlin singled back to back to put runners on second and third base. But Kaiti White struck out the next batter and got a ground ball out back to the circle to end the threat.
Fairfield would score four runs in the top of the fifth inning. With one out Halle Hamilton singled to the left side of the infield. Lyndee Spargur followed with an infield single. Megan Gragg singled to centerfield to score Hamilton as Spargur took third base an Gragg took second base on the throw home. Fayetteville then issued an intentional walk to Kaiti White to load the bases. Layla Hattan then laced a double to right centerfield to score Spargur and Gragg, as Caitlin Campbell running for White raced to third base. Lauren Arnold then ground out to the first baseman to score Campbell.
Kaiti White would retire nine out of the last ten Fayetteville batters she faced to gain the victory and the shutout. The shutouts was White’s eleventh of the season.
Leading hitters for Fairfield: Lyndee Spargur (1 for 4, 1 run), Megan Gragg (1 for 4, 1 run, 1 rbi), Kaiti White (0 for 2, 1 run), Layla Hattan (2 for 4, double, 2 rbi), Lauren Arnold (1 for 3, hbp, 1 rbi), Taylor Lawson (0 for 3), Hayleigh Lowe (0 for 3), Molly Thackston (0 for 3), Halle Hamilton (3 for 3, 1 run).
Kaiti White (16-1) was the winning pitcher for Fairfield. Kaiti’s Pitching line: 7 innings, 3 hits, no runs, no earned runs, no walks, and 11 strikeouts. Taylor Mechlin suffered the loss for Fayetteville. Mechlin’s pitching line: 7 innings, 8 hits, 4 runs, 4 earned runs, 2 walks, and 4 strikeouts.
Fairfield Lady Lions Assistant Coach Tom Purtell submitted this story.
