The Lebanon Warriors will square off against the Fairmont Firebirds at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Fairmont will be up against a hot Lebanon team: the squad just extended their winning streak to four. Everything went the Warriors' way against Little Miami on Thursday as they made off with a 10-3 win. Lebanon's victory was all the more impressive since the Panthers were averaging only 3.7 runs allowed on the season.
Sophia Sheidler
| 05/08/25 @ Little Miami | 12 |
| 05/07/25 @ Milford | 12 |
| 05/02/25 vs New Richmond | 11 |
| 04/30/25 @ Turpin | 13 |
| 04/26/25 vs Notre Dame | 10 |
| + 8 more games |
Sophia Sheidler spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned (and two unearned) runs on eight hits and racked up 12 Ks. She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't tossed less than ten strikeouts in 13 consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Sophie Abrams, who went 2-for-5 with two stolen bases, three RBI, and two runs. Paislie Stansberry was another key player, going 3-for-4 with one run, one double, and one RBI.
They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Lebanon kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 15 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in five consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, Fairmont got themselves on the board against Beavercreek on Wednesday, but Beavercreek never followed suit. They were the clear victors by an 11-0 margin over the Beavers. The game was the first time the Firebirds have beaten the Beavers on their field since April 2, 2019.
Rylee Sier and Jaylin Turner made a splash no matter where they played. On the mound, Sier tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Meanwhile, Turner pitched three innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. At the plate, Sier went 2-for-3 with three RBI, while Turner went 3-for-4 with one RBI. Those three RBI gave Sier a new career-high.
In other batting news, Paige Russell was incredible, going 2-for-3 with three runs, four RBI, and one double. That's the most runs she has posted since back in April. Another player making a difference was Hannah Perdue, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs, one stolen base, and one double.
Fairmont has been performing well recently as they've won five of their last six matches. That's provided a nice bump to their 13-7 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.2 runs on average over those games. As for Lebanon, they pushed their record up to 15-3 with the victory, which was their third straight on the road.
Lebanon's speedy runners might be the difference in Thursday's game. The Warriors have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.6 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Fairmont, though, as they've been averaging only 1.2 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Lebanon continue to outrun the ball?
Lebanon came up short against Fairmont in their previous meeting back in May of 2024, falling 6-1. Can the Warriors avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
