Lions pitch back-to-back no-hitters
By Sam Waller
The Albany Lions had a big week on the mound and at the plate in sweeping District 8-2A baseball games against Haskell and Stamford, getting shortened no-hitters from Cole Chapman and Tyler Chapman in the run-rule victories.
Albany (12-2 overall, 4-1 district) reached the midway point of the district schedule in a three-way tie with Stamford and Hawley for first place. The Lions visited Cisco on Tuesday, April 4 to wrap up the first half of the district schedule, winning 4-0. Details will be reported next week.
After a district-wide open date on Friday, April 7, Albany begins the second half of district at 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, April 11 at Hawley.
On Tuesday, March 28, the Lions blanked Haskell 15-0 in four innings at home behind Cole Chapman’s no-hit effort. That was followed Friday, March 31 with an 11-1 win at Stamford as Tyler Chapman held the Bulldogs hitless over five innings.
“I’m very proud of our pitching as well as our bats this past week,” coach David Fairchild said. “Cole and Tyler had great outings. Zane Waggoner and Coy Lefevre had great games offensively.”
The no-hitters were the third and fourth of the season by Albany pitchers. Tyler Chapman and Caden Price combined for a five-inning no-hitter against Mason on Feb. 23 in the first game of the season. Cole Read had a three-inning no-hitter against Brady on March 10 during the Albany tournament.
Against Haskell, Cole Chapman faced just two batters over the minimum, issuing a pair of walks to start the fourth but getting a double play. The senior struck out five.
At the plate, Lefevre drove in five runs, going 2 for 3 with a two-run double in Albany’s four-run first inning. Waggoner was 3 for 3 with three doubles and three RBIs. His sacrifice fly in the fourth invoked the mercy rule.
“We jumped out and hit the ball really well and that was backed up by Cole Chapman going four innings of no-hit baseball,” David Fairchild said. “He had great control and command of his pitches. He did a great job on the mound.”
Tyler Chapman was also 3 for 3 with two RBIs.
Cole Chapman’s run-scoring triple in the second ignited a six-run outburst. Price, Keatin Russell, and Calhan Fairchild each drove in a run.
Against Stamford, Tyler Chapman struck out 12, including the first nine he faced. He walked two with one leading to Stamford’s run with the help of a pair of passed balls.
“Tyler was pretty impressive against a team that was undefeated in district,” David Fairchild said. “He had great command.”
Waggoner gave Albany a 1-0 lead in the first when he grounded out with a runner on third.
The Lions blew the game open with 10 runs in the third. The first 10 Albany batters, starting with Cason Fairchild, reached base, and eight of them scored. Russell and Calhan Fairchild, batting eighth and ninth, connected for back-to-back doubles to make it 9-0.
“Our bats were alive,” David Fairchild said. “It wasn’t just two or three guys getting hits.”
Waggoner finished with three RBIs while Read and Russell each had two. Lefevre and Calhan Fairchild drove in a run apiece.
Every batter in the lineup had a hit with six in a row – from Tyler Chapman through Russell – getting two.
With the second half looming, David Fairchild said the Lions control their own destiny.
“We start back with Hawley, Anson, and Cisco,” he said. “It’ll be a quick little two weeks, and we’ll see where we’re sitting.”
Junior Varsity
The Lion JV split a pair of games last week to move to 4-5 on the season.
On Monday, March 27, Albany lost 9-6 to Eula in a late addition to the schedule.
On Friday, March 31, the Lions blanked Stamford 15-0 as Will LeMay pitched a complete game, striking out seven.
“Calhan Fairchild, LeMay, Laithe Leech, Mason McCloy, and Aaden Mendez each had a good day offensively,” David Fairchild said. “Brody Oliver had a hit as well.”
The JV’s next game is 4:30 p.m. Tuesday at Hawley.
ALBANY 15, HASKELL 0
SCORE BY INNING 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R/H/E
HASKELL 0 0 0 0 x x x 0/0/2
ALBANY 4 6 3 2 x x x 16/13/1
atbat runs hits RBI
CsFairchild ss 3 2 1 0
CChapman p 1 3 1 1
TChapman 3b 3 3 3 2
Waggoner 1b 3 3 3 3
Lefevre 2b 3 2 2 5
Read c 3 0 0 0
Price cf 1 1 1 1
LeMay rf 0 0 0 0
Russell dh 1 0 1 1
Hill lf 0 0 0 0
ClFairchild cf 3 0 1 1
Totals 21 15 13 14
2B – CsFairchild, Waggoner 3, Lefevre. 3B – CChapman. HBP – CsFairchild, CChapman, TChapman. SF – Waggoner. SB – Lefevre 2, Price, Russell.
IP H R ER BB SO
CChapman 4 0 0 0 2 5
WP – CChapman.
ALBANY 11, STAMFORD 1
SCORE BY INNING 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R/H/E
ALBANY 1 0 10 0 0 x x 11/15/0
STAMFORD 0 0 0 1 0 x x 1/0/3
atbat runs hits RBI
CsFairchild 3b 2 2 1 0
CChapman ss 4 2 1 0
TChapman p 4 1 2 0
Waggoner 1b 3 1 2 3
Lefevre 2b 4 1 2 1
Read c 3 0 2 2
Price cf 3 1 2 0
Russell rf 3 1 2 2
ClFairchild lf 3 1 1 1
Totals 29 11 15 9
2B – Waggoner, Russell, ClFairchild. 3B – TChapman. SB – CsFairchild, ClFairchild.
IP H R ER BB SO
TChapman 5 0 1 0 2 12
PB – Read 2.
