The Fairfield Lady Lions played a non-conference game this afternoon with the Zane Trace Lady Pioneers as both teams prepared for Southeast District Division III Tournament. The game was played at the Fairfield Baseball/Softball Complex on a beautiful day for softball where Zane Trace rallied for a 4-3 win.
Zane Trace improved to 11-9 overall and is 6-8 in the Scioto Valley Conference. Fairfield slipped to 16-4 overall and has already clinched a Southern Hills Athletic Conference title with a 10-1 record.
Both teams battled to a scoreless tie after two innings. Fairfield erupted for three runs in the bottom of the third inning to take the lead. Halle Hamilton drew a base on balls to lead off the third inning. Jobey Hattan singled to advance Hamilton to second base. Hamilton was forced out at third by the next batter. Emmi Vance walked to load the bases and Sydney Sanders cleared the bases with a double to right center field.
Zane Trace manufactured a run in the top of the sixth inning. Gracy McCollough drew a base on balls to lead off the inning. Abby Guffey laid down a sacrifice bunt as McCollough raced clear to third base and scored on a throwing error at third.
The score remained 3-1 as Zane Trace came to bat in the top of the seventh inning. Mikki Wooten was safe on an error to lead off the inning and Alayna Butler followed with a base on balls. Morgan Webb laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance Wooten to the third and Butler to second. Fairfield issued an intentional walk to Gracey McCullough to load the bases with two outs. Abbey Guffey doubled to the fence in right center field to knock in all three runners and give the Lady Pioneers a 4-3 lead.
In the bottom of the seventh inning Vance singled to with two outs, but the Lady Lions failed to move her around the bases.
Leading hitters for the Lady Lions: Hattan (1 for 3, walk, 1 run), Caitlyn Quickle (0 for 4, 1 run), Vance (2 for 2, 2 walks, 1 run), Sydney Sanders (1 for 4, double, 3 RBI) and Sydney Hooper (1 for 3).
Quickle (10-3) suffered the loss for Fairfield. In her seven innings in the circle she gave four runs (all unearned( on five hits and three walks, while striking out six.
McCullough was the winning pitcher for Zane Trace. In her seven innings of work she gave up three runs (two earned) on five hits and four walks, while striking out four.
Fairfield hosts Eastern Brown in a Southeast District Division III Sectional Championship game Thursday. Eastern Brown defeated Lynchburg-Clay, 13-3, Tuesday in a first-round game of the tournament. Thursday’s game time is 5 p.m.
Information for this story was provided by Tom Purtell, a Fairfield softball coach.
