Keokuk cruises by Trojans in softball

KEOKUK ? Two losses Thursday night vs. SEC foe Keokuk has put the Fairfield softball team?s record at .500 for the first time this season, but more importantly, the Trojans took two more hits to the conference mark with just one doubleheader remaining Monday vs. Mount Pleasant.

?We knew it was going to be an uphill battle in the conference, but we were certainly hoping to compete better than we did,? said head coach Bob Bradfield. ?It was thought that hitting was going to be a weakness of ours, and that has proven to be true. I had hoped we would?ve been able to muster a few more runs throughout the season.?

The Trojans lost by scores of 4-0 and 5-2 Thursday without putting anything up on the scoreboard until the final inning of the night. The game one goose egg came as no surprise against one of the league?s top pitchers Hannah Washburn, but Bradfield was especially frustrated in the game two performance.

?Washburn is a top-notch pitcher, but the second game was really disappointing ? only three hits against a very hittable pitcher that a lot of teams have teed off on.? he said. ?We have just been so inconsistent. One night we?ll have a girl that isn?t close and the next she starts getting some hits but the rest of the team isn?t doing anything.?

Meredith Flattery has started to heat up as of late and accounted for two of those hit in game two while Tori Ogden ripped a double. Ogden, Flattery, Katie Anderson and Gretchen Granneman all hit safely against Washburn in game one.

With the losses, Fairfield is 3-11 in SEC play and 16-16 overall with a tough weekend coming up Saturday against two ranked Class 4A opponents at the Ottumwa Classic. The Trojans will take on No. 3 Cedar Rapids Jefferson and No. 12 Ottumwa before coming back home Monday for the final conference doubleheader against Mount Pleasant ? a team they swept in a previous match up this season for two of those conference wins.

?There?s still eight games left in the regular season but a lot of real tough games. Ranked teams on Saturday, Mount Pleasant on Monday who has been playing well and then a ranked 2A team Albia on Tuesday,? Bradfield said. ?It might be tough to end up .500 for the season ? but that?s our goal and then anything can happen in the tournament.?

Fairfield will then make up a rained out game against Centerville on Wednesday before beginning regional play against Fort Madison and a pitcher they failed to score against in two game this season ? Morgan Louck ? next Saturday.

Saturday?s games in Ottumwa are scheduled for 2:15 vs. Cedar Rapids Jefferson and 3:45 against Ottumwa.