The Fayette Lady Falcons improved to 11-7 overall with a 5-1 non-conference win over Cairo at home Monday night.

Tied 1-1, Fayette powered three runs across the plate in the bottom of the fifth inning to seize control in the later innings. With one out, Cairo committed two infield errors to allow senior Emma Hilgedick and freshman Hallie Ball to reach base. That’s when senior Brooklyn Wies drove in Hilgedick for the go-ahead run on an RBI single.

Fayette senior Kennady Vroman then delivered the hit of the game with a double to left field, driving in the Falcons’ third run of the game.

Later in the inning, leading by two runs with two outs, sophomore Camryn Ballew drove in Vroman on a ground ball single to give Fayette a 4-1 lead.

The Falcons scored an insurance run on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the sixth. A hard hit to left field by Ball scored sophomore Blakely Baylor to put Fayette in front by four with half an inning left to play.

The Falcon defense mopped up in the top of the seventh behind freshman ace Brylee Eubanks. After giving up a leadoff single, the Bearcats hitters went down in order on a pop out, fielder’s choice, and fly out to end the game.

Eubanks struck out a game-high nine batters out of 25 faced in a complete game performance. She allowed just one run on four hits without issuing a walk to earn her 10^th  win of the season in 16 starts.

Leading off, Hilgedick paced the Falcon batters with two hits in four at-bats with two runs scored. Ballew also finished with a multi-hit game, going 2-for-3 with an RBI. Ball and Vroman each doubled, with Ball driving in a team-high two runs. Senior Greycen Syferd, Baylor, Wies, and Eubanks each collected hits as the Falcons drove in five runs on 10 hits.

Fayette was scheduled to travel to former Lewis & Clark Conference rival Paris after the Advertiser went to press on Tuesday. The Falcons host Central State 8 Conference opponent South Callaway at 5 p.m. on Thursday.

Fayette makes its final road trip of the regular season on Monday with a game at Pilot Grove. The Falcons conclude their schedule at home against former L&C rival Salisbury on Tuesday and county rival Glasgow on Thursday.

The Class 2 District Tournament opens on October 14, hosted by Harrisburg. The Lady Bulldogs hold an eight-game lead in district standings.