Lions baseball picks up two wins, enter state rankings
The Albany Lions continued their strong start to the season with a pair of wins over Stamford and Abilene TLCA, pushing their record to 8-1 overall and 4-0 in district play, and earning a spot in the latest Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association Class 2A Top 10 poll.
Albany opened the week with a 7-4 win over Stamford on March 24, backed by a solid outing on the mound from Aiden Vickers. The right-hander went seven innings, allowing seven hits while striking out six.
“Aiden had a great night on the mound,” coach David Fairchild said. “He was in control and calm and performed well.”
The Lions also came through defensively in key moments, including a final out to seal the win. Wesly Gleitz made several strong plays at third base, while Chance Stewart contributed in right field and Mason McClon added a steady presence at second.
At the plate, Albany put together a balanced effort. Vickers finished 2-for-5 with an RBI, while Calhan Fairchild went 2-for-4 with a double. Clay Chapman had a perfect night, going 3-for-3 with two RBIs and a double. Brody Oliver added a 2-for-4 performance with a double, and Blake Britting drove in two runs.
The Lions followed with a 17-5 victory over Abilene TLCA on March 27, powered by a dominant performance from Brody Oliver on the mound. Oliver worked 4.2 innings, allowing just two hits while striking out 10.
“This was a tough day to pitch and Brody did well,” Fairchild said.
Mason McCloy came in to close out the game, striking out two in 1.1 innings.
Offensively, Albany broke the game open with several big performances. Wesley Gleitz led the way, going 3-for-4 with six RBIs and a double, while Chapman stayed hot at the plate, finishing 3-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Vickers added three hits, and Oliver helped his own cause with two RBIs.
“Wesley Gleitz and Clay Chapman had a great night at the plate,” Fairchild said. “Very proud of Gleitz. He and Chapman had a big week.”
With the two wins, Albany improved to 8-1 overall and remained unbeaten in district play at 4-0. The Lions’ strong start has now been recognized statewide, as they moved into the No. 10 spot in the latest THSBCA Class 2A poll released March 29.
Stamford, another district opponent, was also mentioned in the poll, receiving votes just outside the top 10.
Albany will look to continue its momentum as district play continues in the coming weeks.
