FAIRHOPE, Ala. — In a contest with 15 runners left on base and five sacrifice bunts by both sides, run production and offensive consistency was not the name of the game. But low scoring, aggressive base running and flashes of approaching lightning kept it interesting.

Both Fairhope senior Farish Beard and Daphne freshman Kimberly Small dueled it out in the circle as the Lady Pirates managed to get three runs over and hold the Lady Trojans scoreless at Fairhope on Tuesday night in a 6A Area 3 battle.

Fairhope’s Farish Beard upped her record to 10-2 with the 3-0 shutout over visiting Daphne. The senior pitched a 15-strikeout, two-hitter with five walks as the No. 4-ranked Pirates improved to 13-2 overall and 2-1 in 6A Area 3. Daphne freshman Kimberly Small (5-5) went the distance on five hits, four strike outs and three walks.

Megan Dowdy led FHS at the plate with an RBI single to score Courtney Piesco. Brooke Lennicx had two hits for FHS. Hannah Qualls tripled, singled and scored and Brooklin Caudill singled for the Lady Pirates.

Devan Bearden had a bunt single and Kaitlyn Blubaugh singled to right for Daphne. Peyton Grantham worked three walks and stole two bases but didn’t get in. DHS threaten to tie the game in the top of the seventh, but Beard got out of the jam just as rain and lightning moved over Founders Park.

Fairhope coach Jonathan Heflin was happy his team stayed on task, stranding 10 Trojans who twice left the bases loaded.

“Right there at the end, with the weather and whatever we have blowing around, I think we did a fantastic job staying focused and doing what we needed to do,” he said. “I’m extremely proud of the defense. Daphne had runners on base and Farish worked it around all night long and the defense did a great job of making outs and keeping them off the board. Farish did a fantastic job in the circle,” Heflin said. “They would get something going and she would make pitches and shut it down. I thought she did an extremely good job.”

DHS coach Lawrence Yelding, who is fielding a very young team, said scoring on Beard who signed with the University of South Alabama, is always a challenge.

“We knew Farish was going to be good coming in and we talked about taking advantage of situations and not swinging at balls out of the zone,” he said. “We had our chances and we didn't come through with the hits when we needed. We were a little bit better than the last couple of times we played them and that is something to build upon. Kimberly threw the ball well tonight. I don’t know how many hits they had but she scattered them, which is good.”

Fairhope visits Gulf Shores and Daphne (10-16, 1-2) visits Mary Montgomery Thursday. Both host Kentucky teams Monday.