Fairfield splits at Albia in regular-season finale

ALBIA ? The Fairfield softball team cruised to a 6-1 victory in the opening game of Tuesday?s doubleheader at Albia, but came up just short to lose the nightcap 3-2.

The Trojans left 11 runners on base, including two in the top of the seventh, in the game two loss.

?We played good enough to win both games ? good pitching and good defense the whole night,? said head coach Bob Bradfield. ?We just didn?t come up with the key hit in the second game.?

The split was the regular season finale, and Fairfield now has a full three days off before opening Class 3A regional play Saturday against Mount Pleasant at home.

Mackenzie McClure delivered a clutch one-out RBI to plate Taylor Neil in the top of the seventh in game two to cut the Albia lead in half, but it was all the Trojans could muster. McClure ended up taking the loss in the pitcher?s circle while giving up seven hits and walking none.

Haley Grunwald allowed just five hits, one walk and one earned run as the winning pitcher in the opener. The offense manufactured all six runs on just five hits thanks in part to four Albia errors.

Neil hit a triple and was 2-4 along with Tori Ogden in the game, and Sydney Burnett finished 1-3.

Fairfield finished the regular season with a 16-23 record and now turns its focus to Mount Pleasant ? a team it has a 4-0 record against this season.

Fairfield vs. Albia

Fairfield ? 0 3 1 2 0 0 0 ? 6 5 2

Albia ? 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 ? 1 5 4

FAIRFIELD ? Neil 2-4, 3B, 2RBI; Ogden 2-4; Burnett 1-3

Pitching ? Grunwald (W) 7 INN, 5H, BB, 3K, ER

Fairfield vs. Albia

Fairfield ? 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 ? 2 6 1

Albia ? 1 0 1 0 1 0 X ? 3 7 0

FAIRFIELD ? Ogden 1-2, 3B; McClure 2-4, RBI; H. Williams 1-4; K. Williams 2-3

Pitching ? McClure (L) 6 INN, 7H, K, 3ER