The Fairfield Lions will head out to square off against the Manchester Greyhounds at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
On Wednesday, Fairfield got the win against West Union by a conclusive 13-1. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Lions.
Rilee Quickle
| 05/14/25 @ West Union | 7 |
| 05/09/25 @ Whiteoak | 15 |
| 05/08/25 @ Miami Trace | 7 |
| 05/06/25 @ Ripley-Union-Lewis-Huntington | 7 |
| 04/24/25 vs Eastern | 8 |
| + 2 more games |
Rilee Quickle made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out seven batters over five innings while giving up just one earned run off four hits. She has been consistent: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in seven consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-3 with two RBI, one run, and one double.
In other batting news, Fairfield got a massive performance out of Jobey Hattan, who went 2-for-4 with three RBI, two runs, and one double. Another player making a difference was Kelsie Crowder, who got on base in all four of her plate appearances with three runs, one double, and one RBI.
Fairfield was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .400. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .304 or higher in 12 consecutive games.
Meanwhile, Manchester came tearing into Thursday's match with four straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 8 runs), and they left with even more momentum. Everything went their way against the Blue Jays as they made off with a 17-4 victory.
Like Fairfield, Manchester also got a great game from a two-way player: Rylie Young. She struck out 12 batters over five innings while giving up just two earned (and two unearned) runs off two hits. Young was also big at the plate, getting on base in three of her four plate appearances with four runs and two RBI. That's the most runs she has posted since back in April.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Elliana Applegate, who went 2-for-3 with one home run, three runs, and four RBI. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in April. The team also got some help courtesy of Addilyn Hunter, who went 2-for-3 with three runs and one RBI.
Fairfield's record now sits at 16-4. As for Manchester, their record is now 15-3.
Thursday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Fairfield has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .468. However, it's not like Manchester struggles in that department as they've averaged .510. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Fairfield was able to grind out a solid win over Manchester when the teams last played back in April of 2024, winning 12-8. Do the Lions have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Greyhounds turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
