Lions advance to area playoff
By Donnie A. Lucas
Although they waited to score late in both games of the bi-district baseball series against Coleman last week, the Lions earned a two-game sweep to advance to the area round of the playoffs.
Albany will face the Ozona Lions (13-7-1, 7-3) in a best of three series starting Thursday in Hermleigh with a first pitch at 6:00 p.m. Game 2 is set for Friday at 4:00 p.m. in Hermleigh, with a third game immediately following if needed.
Tickets will be available at the gate for $5 per person. Children five and under are free. Some passes will be taken.
Ozona advanced into the playoffs as the runner-up in District 5-2A behind McCamey, winning a one-game bi-district round 11-0 over the Hamlin Pied Pipers last week.
The Lions were undefeated in District 8-2A with a 10-0 record, beating Coleman 18-8, 11-1 in the bi-district series to move to 18-3-1 for the season.
The winner of the area series will advance to the regional quarterfinal to play the winner of the Hawley vs. Eldorado area playoff.
The Lions gave Coleman a 6-1 lead after the opening three innings before rallying to score 11 runs in the bottom of the fourth. Coleman added two runs in the fifth, but the Lions answered with six more runs in the bottom of the fifth to ice the game.
“With only four hits, we were successful collecting 16 walks,” coach David Fairchild said. “Our guys were disciplined at the plate.”
Cade Neve was the winning pitcher, allowing eight runs on five hits and four walks in 4.1 innings. He struck out 11 at the plate. Jackson Chapman got the save, throwing the last two outs. He allowed one hit and had two strikeouts.
Cooper Fairchild went two for five at the plate with three RBIs and a double to lead the Lions offense. Coy Lefevre and Zane Waggoner got the only other hits.
Albany scored seven runs in the sixth on its way to an 11-1 victory over Coleman in Game 2 played Saturday in Eastland.
The game remained scoreless until the top of the fifth when Cole Chapman “broke through with a single to drive in a run.”
Albany bats came alive in the seventh with seven runs, adding three more in the seventh.
“Cole Chapman led the hitting going two for three with five RBIs, and Luke Ivy and Parker Henry had two hits each,” the coach said. “I was also very pleased with our pitching during this series.”
Jackson Chapman pitched six frames for the win, allowing one run on six hits and one walk. He struck out seven.
Cole Chapman came in to close the game in the seventh with two strikeouts.
Game 1
SCORE BY INNING 1 2 3 4 5 6 R/H/E
Coleman 0 3 3 0 2 x 8/6/7
albany 1 0 0 11 6 x 18/4/1
INDIVIDUAL STATS
C Fairchild 2 for 5, 1 sgl, 1 dbl, 3 RBIs
C Lefevre 1 for 3, 1 sgl, 1 RBI
C Neve 0 for 1, 3 RBIs
J Chapman 0 for 4, 1 RBI
C Chapman 0 for 1, 2 RBIs
L Ivy 0 for 1, 1 RBI
C Read 0 for 0, 1 RBI
Z Waggoner 1 for 1, 1 sgl, 1 RBI
game 2
SCORE BY INNING 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R/H/E
ALBANY 0 0 0 0 1 7 3 11/10/1
Coleman 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1/6/3
INDIVIDUAL STATS
C Lefevre 1 for 3, 1 sgl
P Henry 2 for 4, 2 sgls
C Neve 1 for 4, 1 sgl, 2 RBIs
C Chapman 2 for 3, 1 sgl, 1 tpl, 5 RBIs
L Ivy 2 for 3, 2 sgls, 2 RBIs
C Price 1 for 2, 1 sgl, 1 RBI
W Webb 1 for 3, 1 sgl, 1 RBI
