Sports

Now that the turkey and stuffing has finally settled in our stomachs, it?s time to start thinking Christmas. Crews have been working to get Mt. Pleasant?s Central Park ready to dazzle those shopping in downtown Mt. Pleasant by hanging red ornaments in the trees and erecting a Christmas tree in place of the city?s fountain. Above, the Midwest Old Threshers steam engine sparkles in the early morning light.

Now they see it. Now they don?t.A lot like magic, the Fairfield softball team made Keokuk?s aspirations for a Southeast Conference title disappear in Thursday?s doubleheader in Fairfield.The Trojans, who had already swept the Chiefs in Keokuk earlier this season, took one final game from their conference foe to stay atop the SEC and two games ahead of the defending conference champions. Fairfield won the opener ...

The Fairfield baseball team was swept by Keokuk earlier in the season, but that was without a healthy Tyler Cooksey.Thursday, the two teams met again and Cooksey nearly single-handedly made sure his team wouldn?t be the recipient of a Keokuk sweep twice.Cooksey belted a pair of homers on 3-for-3 hitting to lead Fairfield to a 6-2 win in game one of the Southeast Conference doubleheader, before a Keokuk comeback ...

GRINNELL ? One bad half-inning for Fairfield turned what was once a close game vs. third-ranked Grinnell into one of its most lopsided losses of the season.The Trojans initially found themselves down 8-2, but a five-run fifth frame cut Fairfield?s deficit to one. Grinnell then broke the game wide open in the sixth inning, scoring eight more runs for a 17-8 victory.?It took a big bottom of the sixth for Grinnell ...

PACKWOOD ? No doubt about it: Davis County was going to be Pekin?s toughest matchup of the season.The top-ranked Mustangs (Class 2A) didn?t disappoint, topping Pekin 15-1 in a five-inning game Wednesday in Packwood.?I knew it would be a challenge for us,? Pekin coach Jeff Eeling. ?[Davis County] flat-out hit the ball well tonight.?The one-loss Mustangs had a total of 14 hits in the five-inning game. After ...

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) ? On the verge of victory, Maria Sharapova briefly lost her bearings.Sharapova?s old serving problems resurfaced Thursday at Wimbledon, costing her the second set before she recovered to beat dangerous Tsvetana Pironkova, 7-6 (3), 6-7 (3), 6-0.The Court 1 match took two days and ended three minutes after Serena Williams concluded her second-round victory on Centre Court, beating qualifier...

PACKWOOD ? Maleaha Earnest darted home from third base on an errant throw to score the winning run Wednesday, lifting the Pekin softball team past New London 4-3.Earnest found herself in position for the winning score as the courtesy runner for Madelyn Baker, who singled to start the final frame. A steal of second base and infield single by Cheyann Lankford advanced Earnest to third base before the New London ...

WEST BURLINGTON ? The Cardinal baseball team used a balanced attack on offense to down West Burlington 8-3 in conference action Monday.?We had a very balanced attack tonight,? said Cardinal head coach Tom Hallgren. ?We need everyone to continue to contribute offensively as we go down the stretch.?The Comets? 11-hit offense was paced by Brandon Eklofe, who went 2 for 4 with a double, as well as Ty Short?s two ...