Baseball team opens district with win
By Sam Waller
The Albany Lions baseball team tuned up for District 8-2A competition with a 5-2 victory over Merkel on Wednesday, March 16, in Albany’s lone outing over spring break.
“We had another good outing and had a pretty day,” Lions coach David Fairchild said. “It was a little windy, but we had good pitching, put the ball in play, and were able to scratch some runs.”
The Lions (6-2 overall) opened district play Tuesday, March 22, with a close 18-15 win at Stamford. Details weren’t available at press time and will be reported next week.
Albany will host Haskell at 5:00 p.m. Friday, March 25, then visit Anson on Tuesday, March 29.
Against Merkel, the Lions overcame an early deficit to take the lead for good in the second inning, then added a pair of insurance runs in the fourth.
David Fairchild said he was very pleased with the Lions’ pitching performance. Albany pitchers held Merkel to two runs on six hits, while combining for eight strikeouts with just one walk.
“Cole Chapman had a good outing, and Cooper Fairchild came in and gave us three innings, which was good to see,” the coach said. “Zane Waggoner had some good plays at first base and closed out the game. Cason Fairchild had four putouts.”
Waggoner went 2 for 3 with two RBIs, and Chapman was 2 for 3 with an RBI to lead Albany at the plate. Cooper Fairchild and Coy Lefevre had RBI singles, and Cole Read added a hit.
Leadoff batter Caden Price scored three runs, drawing three walks and stealing two bases to set up scores.
Chapman got the start and worked three innings for the win, allowing two runs on four hits and a walk while striking out four. Cooper Fairchild worked three scoreless innings in relief, giving up two hits, and Waggoner pitched the seventh for the save.
“That was the first time Cooper has pitched since his freshman year,” David Fairchild said. “He looked really good and had control. I’m glad to see that for down the road in the playoffs.”
Down 2-0 in the first, Albany used two walks, and then a wild pitch put runners in scoring position for Waggoner, who singled to center field to tie the game.
The Lions took the lead in the second when Price worked a two-out walk, stole second and scored on Cooper Fairchild’s single to left.
Albany worked out of a jam in the fourth, then added some insurance in the bottom of the inning. An error and a walk gave Merkel two on with no outs, ending Chapman’s outing. Cooper Fairchild came on to strike out the next three batters and end the threat.
In the bottom of the fourth, a pair of walks set up Lefevre and Chapman for back-to-back, two-out RBI singles.
“Scratching those two runs and getting a little insurance right there was big,” David Fairchild said.
The coach said that despite a late start for players coming from basketball and weather affecting two of the first three weekends, Albany was in a good position heading into district.
“It’s obviously going to be a very tough district, and every game’s going to be important,” he said, “but I feel good about where we are right now.”
ALBANY 5, MERKEL 2
SCORE BY INNING 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R/H/E
Merkel 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2/6/1
Albany 2 1 0 2 0 0 x 5/7/2
atbat runs hits RBIs
Price rf 1 3 0 0
CoFairchild 2b 3 1 1 1
Waggoner 1b 3 1 2 2
Lefevre lf 4 0 1 1
CChapman p 3 0 2 1
CaFairchild 3b 3 0 0 0
Ivy cf 1 0 0 0
Read ss 3 0 1 0
Herring c 3 0 0 0
Totals 24 5 7 5
SB – Price 2, CChapman.
IP H R ER BB SO
CChapman 3 4 2 2 1 4
CoFairchild 3 2 0 0 0 3
Waggoner 1 0 0 0 0 1
HBP – CoFairchild 2, Waggoner.
