An historic season for the Fayette Falcon softball team came to a halt Wednesday night as the Salisbury Lady Panthers defeated the Lady Falcons 7-5 in the first round of Class 2 District 3 action.

Fayette finishes the season 22-3 overall. They won all three in-season tournaments and rode an 18-game win streak all the way to the No. 1 ranking in the state for Class 2.

Fourth-seeded Salisbury jumped out to an early lead in the top of the first inning after three singles and four bases on balls plated five runs for the Panthers and put the top-seeded Falcons in a hole that would prove to be too deep, but that would not hinder the Falcon effort.

Fayette stayed scoreless until the bottom half of the fourth when junior Preslee Sunderland led off with a bunt single. With classmate Megan Lewis at bat, Sunderland moved to second on a passed ball. Lewis then grounded out to the third baseman allowing Sunderland to move to third. Hannah Quint followed with another ground out to third allowing Sunderland to score making the score 5-1.

Salisbury added two more runs in the top of the sixth to make the score 7-1.

When Fayette went to bat in the bottom of the inning, however, the Falcon offense came alive. Junior Addison Newell led off with a ground ball through short. Preslee Sunderland moved Newell to second with a single. Lewis then doubled to left, driving in Newell and moving Sunderland to third.

Junior Hannah Quint singled, plating Sunderland and moving Lewis to third. Quint then took second on a call of defensive indifference. After a pop out by junior Madi Lawson, sophomore Skylar Sunderland hit a sacrifice fly to center, sending Lewis home to cut the Salisbury lead to three. 

With the throw going home to try to catch Lewis, Quint took off for third. Seeing that, the Salisbury catcher threw the ball into left field to try to catch Quint who alertly ran home making the score 7-5.

Salisbury could not add insurance runs in the top of the seventh as senior pitcher Jordyn Ball induced a pop out and two strike outs to keep the score 7-5.

Leading off the bottom of the seventh, senior Bella Asbury sent a line drive to center  then gave way to pinch runner sophomore Addison Powell. Sophomore  Kayla Felten drew a walk forcing Powell to second. Addison Newell flew out to center, bringing Preslee Sunderland to the plate. Sunderland got a bunt single to load the bases for Lewis with one out. Lewis hit a fly ball to center for the second out, but it was not deep enough to allow Powell to advance.

With two outs and the bases loaded, Quint came to the plate. After working the count to 3-1, she grounded out to the pitcher to end the game with Salisbury ahead 7-5.

Ball pitched the entire game for Fayette, striking out eight and walking five. 

A the plate, Preslee Sunderland was 3-for-4 from the two spot scoring two runs. Megan Lewis and Bella Asbury each registered two hits with Lewis driving in a run.  Addison Newell, Hannah Quint, and Jordyn Ball each contributed a hit with Quint having two RBI’s.

Salisbury will go on to play second-seeded New Bloomfield in the district championship game at 6 p.m. Thursday, October 14 on the turf at Mokane.