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Lions take important win over Stamford

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The Lion baseball team picked another pair of wins last week, with the most significant being the district opener in Stamford.

Albany hosted Baird on Tuesday, earning a 16-6 victory to keep the streak going and improving the overall mark to 8-4. Details will be reported next week.

The Lions will stay at home again on Friday, with a game against the Hawley Bearcats as the hunt for the district title continues. The opening pitch is set for 5:00 p.m.

The local team will once more be at the local field Tuesday, April 2 to host the Eula Pirates starting at 5:00 p.m.

The Lions are members of a combined district that includes both 1A and 2A schools, but for purposes of the district standings, only the games against Haskell, Hawley and Stamford will be tallied. While the Lions will play the 1A schools each one time, the outcome of those games only count in the overall record and do not affect the district race.

The 1A schools competing against each other for playoff spots include Baird, Hamlin, Knox City, and Eula.

Coach David Fairchild explained that even though Hamlin is in Albany’s football district, they are actually classified as 1A and “played up” so that they could participate in an 11-man district.

Albany picked up a 15-2 win over Knox City in the first District 8-2A game, but it was the 2-1 win over Stamford last Friday that will actually count in the district playoff standings. Since there are only four 2A schools, all four will advance into the playoffs with district record counting towards seeding and bragging rights for the district championship.

The big game of the week was the close win over Stamford last Friday.

“I was really glad to get this one behind us,” Fairchild said. “Ben West had a great night on the mound. He is a real competitor and was hitting his spots and in control of his fast ball.”

West pitched six of the seven innings, allowing one run on one hit and four walks, while striking out 13 at the plate.

Cade Neve came in to close the game from the mound, striking out three to end the game.

“Cade did a good job in a tight situation with runners on first and second, striking out three to clinch it,” the coach said. “This was a tough situation to came into in the bottom of the seventh with two runners on base and no outs, but he stepped up and won the battle.”

The coach also commended the Lion offense.

“Josh Dyer had a big night, igniting our offense with a double, a triple, and an RBI,” Fairchild said. “Jackson Chapman also had an RBI for us on a single.”

LIONS vs stamford

SCORE BY INNING 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R/H/E

ALBANY 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 2/4/1

Stamford 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1/1/3

INDIVIDUAL STATS

C Fairchild 1 for 3, 1 sgl

B Kayga 0 for 3, 1 run

J Chapman 1 for 3, 1 sgl, 1 RBI

J Dyer 2 for 3, 1 dbl, 1 tpl, 1 RBI, 1 run

The Lions traveled to Knox City on March 19, bringing back a 15-2 win.

Albany knocked in 11 runs in the first and four more in the fourth for the victory.

“This was a good win for us,” the coach said. “We suited up all 17 guys, and everyone got to get in the game. Neve threw well for two and a third innings, striking out five and walking one.”

Blaine Kayga also pitched, allowing three hits and one run.

LIONS vs Knox City

SCORE BY INNING 1 2 3 4 5 R/H/E

ALBANY 11 0 0 4 x 15/8/0

K City 0 0 1 1 x 2/5/0

INDIVIDUAL STATS

K Everitt 1 for 2, 1 sgl, 1 RBI, 1 run

B Kayga 1 for 1, 1 dbl, 2 RBIs, 2 runs

B West 1 for 1, 1 sgl, 1 RBI, 1 run

M Gueldner 1 run

C Hargett 0 for 1, 1 run

J Chapman 1 for 1, 1 sgl, 2 RBIs

C Morales 0 for 1, 1 run

BJ Morris 2 for 2, 2 sgls, 2 RBIs, 2 runs

L Ivy 1 for 1, 1 sgl, 2 RBIs, 2 runs

J Dyer 0 for 1, 1 RBI, 1 run

S Hale 1 run

B Jones 1 for 1, 1 sgl

M Balliew 0 for 1, 1 RBI, 2 runs