After leading 5-0 after three innings, a series of errors cost the Falcons a win in their home opener against Battle High School on a sweltering Monday night. Fayette gave up three runs in the fourth and five in the sixth. A late-inning rally fell one run short, ending the night with an 8-7 loss.

“It was our until the sixth inning,” said Fayette coach Bri Busker moments after the one-run loss. “Mistakes and mental errors. We couldn’t stop it.”

Things started off well for the Falcons. Freshman ace Brylee Eubanks struck out the third batter she faced after inducing back-to-back flyouts in a 1-2-3 first inning. In the bottom of the inning, singles by senior Kennady Vroman and freshman Hallie Ball, a walk to senior Greycen Syferd, and an error on the Battle defense resulted in a run for Fayette. Ball earned the first RBI of the game, driving in Vroman on a hard-hit ground ball through the outfield into center.

Fayette added two more runs in the bottom of the second. Sophomore Camryn Ballew led off with a single and advanced to third on a double by sophomore Jordan Barnhill. Both would score on sacrifice groundouts from sophomore Blakely Baylor and senior Emma Hilgedick to go up 3-0.

More power hitting with two outs in the bottom of the third produced two more runs. Ball doubled, then was driven home on a single to left by Eubanks. A double from Ballew that nearly cleared the fence in center drove in Eubanks to make it a 5-0 game.

Battle found its footing in the top of the fourth, scoring three runs on three consecutive singles. The Spartans then strung together two doubles and two singles, combined with a walk and an error in a five-run top of the sixth to pull ahead 8-5.

“We can rely on a good pitcher for so long, and when they start making contact, we have to back her up on defense,” Busker said.

Down three runs in the bottom of the sixth, a rally was cut short when a baserunner was called out trying to steal third.

“It’s what you’re supposed to do. If it’s in the dirt and she’s being aggressive, I want her to go,” Busker said.

But Fayette picked up a run before the third out was called. With two outs, a double by Baylor and a single by Hilgedick put two runners on base. Baylor would score on a single by Vroman to cut the lead to two runs.

The Falcons opened another rally in the bottom of the seventh, taking advantage of a pitching change. Senior Brooklynn Wies led off with a single and advanced to second on a follow-up single by Syferd. Later in the inning, with one out, Eubanks dropped a sacrifice groundout to drive in Wies, cutting Battle’s lead to 8-7.

But a final groundout with the tying run on base ended the night for the Falcons one run shy.

Eubanks took the loss in the circle after allowing eight runs (5 earned) on 11 hits with one walk and four strikeouts. She was pitched a one-hitter through the first three innings in her fourth consecutive start on the season. At the plate, she helped her own cause, going 1-for-4 with an RBI.

Fayette drove in six of its seven runs on 13 hits and a walk, striking out just three times all night. Vroman led the Falcons at plate batting second. She went 2-for-4 with an RBI and run scored. Wies also had two hits in four at-bats with a run scored. Ball went two-for-four with an RBI and scored a run. Ballew rounded out the multi-hit players with two hits, including a double off the fence, in four at-bats with one run driven in.

Hilgedick led off with a hit and an RBI. Syferd went 1-for-3 and walked once. Barnhill doubled in in a 1-for-3 performance, and Baylor went 1-for-3 with a double, an RBI, and a run scored.

Baylor, Ballew Ball, and Barnhill each doubled. Wies and Vroman each swiped a bag.

The Falcons, now 2-2 on the season, hope to pick up their first home win of the season on Thursday when they host Sturgeon in a non-conference game. The first pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m.