Keokuk overpowers Fairfield to end Trojans? season

A team that ended its season at the state tournament a year ago took its first step to get back and toppled Fairfield in the process.

An experienced Keokuk team ? most notably, pitcher Hannah Washburn ? proved too powerful both offensively and defensively and eventually took care of the Trojans by a final score of 6-2 in the opening round of Class 3A regional play. The young Fairfield squad ends its season with a 12-24 record.

The Trojans had just posted an upset victory against the sixth-ranked Chiefs July 1, but Washburn stepped in Saturday to get her team a win while giving up seven hits and just one earned run while striking out nine.

?We got some hits and put some runners on base, which is about all you can ask for against a quality pitcher like that,? said Faifield head coach Bob Bradfield. ?But the girls went in knowing we had a chance and certainly weren?t afraid of Keokuk.?

Tori Ogden had the most success from the plate as the sophomore went 3-4 with a double and an RBI to help Fairfield take an early 1-0 lead mid-way through the third inning. The Chiefs answered right back however, tied the game in the bottom half of the inning and finally broke through with a four-run fifth inning.

?Their hitters started to overpower us, which is just the way it is with the young pitchers that we have,? Bradfield said. ?They eventually caught on in that fifth inning and we had no place to hide.?

Keokuk strung together four straight hits in the inning en route to the scoring plays that made the score 6-1 and all but sealed Fairfield?s fate. Haley Grunwald was saddled with the loss after giving up six earned runs on 10 hits and six walks across six innings. Grunwald didn?t record a strikeout as opposed to Washburn, who picked up nine.

With the win, Keokuk moves on to tonight?s regional semifinal against Pella, which won a 1-0 decision vs. Centerville. The first pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Fairfield?s home field behind FMS.

The Trojans will return six starters along with several more young players for next season after finishing up the 2010 campaign as a much-improved compared to what they started with.

?We told the girls that we?re really happy with how they improved. We had a nice little run the last couple weeks and ended up on a positive note,? said Bradfield. ?We even played well with Keokuk but just didn?t quite have enough to pull it out.?

Washington and Fort Madison are other winners from Region 7 and will play tonight in Mount Pleasant.