Keokuk hands Trojans season-ending loss

KEOKUK ? For the second year running, the Fairfield softball team?s season came to a halt at the hands of Southeast Conference rival Keokuk.

Fairfield fell to the 12th-ranked Chiefs by a final score of 9-2 in the Region 5 Class 4A semifinal Saturday in Keokuk. Last year, Fairfield lost 6-2 in the opening round.

?We knew going into the tournament trail it was going to be a tough road,? said Fairfield head coach Bob Bradfield. ?We knew Keokuk would be tough down there. They?ve got a veteran team ... and I knew they?d be playing at full blast in the postseason.?

Keokuk looks to make its third consecutive trip to the state tournament when it faces Carlisle in the Region 5 final Tuesday. Carlisle defeated Oskaloosa in the region?s other semifinal game Saturday.

Fairfield?s season ends with a 20-21 overall record and runner-up finish in the SEC.

The young Trojans, who took three of four games from the Chiefs in the regular season, opened the game scoring one run in both the first and second frames to grab a 2-0 lead. Table-setter Sydney Burnett doubled and scored on a single by Mackenzie McClure in the first inning, and McKenna Ledger singled and later scored on a Katie Anderson base knock in the second frame.

Keokuk scored two runs in the fourth inning to tie the game at 2-all, and then the Chiefs took the lead for good with another run scored in the fifth. Trojan starter Alli Deao allowed the three runs, two of which were earned, and was hit with the loss. The eighth-grader gave up four hits in four innings while fanning one.

The Chiefs padded their lead in the final two frames, scoring three runs in each inning vs. pitcher Haley Grunwald. Grunwald allowed six runs ? three earned ? in three innings of relief.

Despite out-hitting Keokuk by one and committing two fewer errors, the Trojans were crippled by missed chances. The visitors left the bases loaded in the fourth and stranded a total of 12 runners in the game.

?Keokuk made some errors and we got some hits, but we just didn?t get the hits when we needed them,? Bradfield said.

Anderson wrapped up an excellent postseason going 3 for 4 with one RBI. The junior second baseman finished the two-game stretch with eight hits in nine at-bats.

Other top performers Saturday included Ledger, who went 2 for 4 with one run scored; Karley Williams going 2 for 4; and Burnett, who finished 1 for 3 with a double and run scored.

Fairfield vs. Keokuk

(Regional semifinal)

Keokuk ? 0 0 0 2 1 3 3 ? 9 9 5

Fairfield ? 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 ? 2 10 3

FAIRFIELD ? Anderson 3-4, RBI; Ledger 2-4, R; Williams 2-4; Burnett 1-3, 2B, R; McClure 1-4, RBI; Roberts 1-4

Pitching ? Deao (L) 4 INN, 3R, 2ER, 4H, K, BB; Grunwald 3 INN, 6R, 3ER, 5H, K, 4BB