Fairborn's Courtnie Spain pitches against Springboro on Wenesday night.
Springboro tops Skyhawks, 2-0
By TERRY BAVER Brown News Service
SPRINGBORO — Fairborn took one on the chin, dropping a 2-0 decision to Springboro in a Greater Western Ohio Conference South Division game played last Wednesday at Springboro High School.
Panther catcher Ashley Fletcher did all the damage, scoring both runs.
Fletcher scored the first run after a lead-off triple in the first inning. She added Springboro’s second run in the fifth after doubling to left and moving to third on a wild pitch.
Fletcher scored the run after catching Fairborn napping, sliding under the glove of catcher Kylie Wallace after teammate Brittany Baker took ball four.
While sloppy defense hurt Fairborn in the fifth, it was stranding seven baserunners over the seven-inning game that killed the Skyhawks.
The third inning turned out to be the back breaker when Fairborn loaded the bases with one out.
Jenifer Neel got things going with a single to left. She then moved to third when Sophie Bolser slammed a double to left field. Fairborn filled the bases when Brittany Duncan drew a walk.
But the Skyhawks couldn’t take advantage of the opportunity.
Panther pitcher Sara Van Wert got Sarah Lilley to hit a grounder to third baseman Loran Ramsey, who threw the ball to Fletcher, forcing Neel at home for the second out.
Wert then struck out Jessie Little to end the inning, leaving the bases full of Skyhawks.
The inability to score runs ruined a good effort by Skyhawk pitcher Courtnie Spain, who struck out 10 Panther batters.
The Skyhawk performance in general, however, didn’t sit too well with coach Bob Shively.
“There is no reason for us to be shut out,” Shively said. “We’ve lost two games in the division to teams below us where we were shut out and that shouldn’t happen. We’re too good a bad club for that. We just didn’t play our game and apparently we weren’t ready.”
Fairborn collected seven hits while Springboro had six.
Neel and Chelsea Reed led Fairborn with two singles each.
The win improves Springboro to 4-4 in the GWOC South and 8-10 overall. Fairborn drops to 6-3 in the GWOC South and 15-6 overall.
Fairborn meets GWOC South leader Lebanon on Friday at home.
Lebanon improved its record to 10-0 in the south after defeating Miamisburg 2-1 on Wednesday. Lebanon is 19-1 overall.
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Rams lose on road
MECHANICSBURG — Greeneview’s softball team fell to Mechanicsburg, 4-0, on the road on Wednesday night.
Lauren Schirtzinger got the loss pitching for the Rams (4-14, 2-9 Ohio Heritage Conference).
