Lions sweep home tournament 4-0
By Sam Waller
The Albany Lions bounced back from their first loss of the baseball season last week with a sweep of their home tournament.
The Lions (8-1) had no games scheduled this week during spring break, though coach David Fairchild said Tuesday he was still looking to add one. Albany opens District 8-2A competition at 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, March 21, against Hawley at home.
On Tuesday, March 7, Albany lost 7-4 to Class 4A Vernon in its home opener.
“We just had too many errors,” Fairchild said. “We matched them on hits but committed five errors to give up a big four-run inning.”
Tyler Chapman tripled and drove in two runs, Cole Chapman homered, and Keatin Russell had a sacrifice fly for Albany. Coy Lefevre and Cole Read, who doubled, both went 2 for 3.
Caden Price started on the mound, going 2.1 innings. He allowed a run on two hits while striking out four.
“I thought Caden had a nice outing,” Fairchild said.
Tyler Chapman was charged with the loss, giving up four unearned runs in one inning. Cole Chapman worked 2.1 innings and Read pitched the final 1.1. Each gave up a run on two hits and combined for six strikeouts.
In going 4-0 in the Albany tournament, the Lions defeated Eastland 16-2 and Seymour 5-4 on Thursday, March 9. On Friday, Albany blanked Brady 12-0 before closing out the weekend Saturday with a 9-1 victory over Winters.
Against Eastland, Albany started quickly with nine runs in the first and seven in the second. Price led the offense with a double and three RBIs.
Cole Chapman was 2 for 3 with a double and two RBIs. He also pitched 1.1 hitless innings, striking out four of the six batters he faced.
Cason Fairchild finished up on the mound with 1.2 innings, allowing two runs on two hits with two strikeouts. He also drove in two runs.
Read was 2 for 2 with an RBI, Tyler Chapman doubled in a run, Zane Waggoner was 1 for 3 with an RBI, and Calhan Fairchild had a hit and scored twice.
Against Seymour, Cole Chapman singled in the winning run with two outs in the fourth and the time limit looming. He finished 2 for 2.
Waggoner homered and drove in two runs, while Calhan Fairchild doubled and scored three times. Tyler Chapman, who had an RBI, and Russell both went 1 for 2.
Read, the third Albany pitcher, worked two hitless innings for the win, striking out four of the six batters he faced.
Against Brady, Read pitched a three-inning no-hitter, striking out seven. He faced just one batter over the minimum, retiring nine in a row after a leadoff walk.
Tyler Chapman walked with the bases loaded in the first, then Albany erupted for 11 runs in the second. Cason Fairchild, who was 3 for 3 with two doubles, and Cole Chapman, who was 1 for 2, each drove in three runs. Lefevre was 1 for 3 with two RBIs and Calhan Fairchild was 2 for 3 with an RBI.
Against Winters, the Lions scored seven runs in the second to take control.
Waggoner was 2 for 3 with two doubles and an RBI, while Lefevre (2 for 3) and Tyler Chapman (1 for 2) each had a double and two RBIs. Calhan Fairchild also doubled and drove in a run, while Read was 1 for 2.
Cason Fairchild pitched three innings for the win, striking out four while allowing a run on two hits. Tyler Chapman struck out all three men he faced to close it out.
