Trojan softball splits in end of week matchups

It’s been an eventful week of softball for the Fairfield Trojans.

On Thursday, the girls played host to Fort Madison in a Southeast Conference doubleheader and on Friday, they were in Iowa City taking on Davenport Assumption and Pleasant Valley in the Iowa City West Open.

It was an end of the week with wins and losses.

Against the Bloodhounds, it was a split for Fairfield. The Trojans picked up a 14-7 win in game one, before falling to them in game two, 18-5.

At Hawkeye Softball Complex in Iowa City the Trojans dropped their opening game, 10-0 to one loss Davenport Assumption before defeating Pleasant Valley in the second.

In the opening game against Fort Madison, it was the Bloodhounds who struck first. Fort Madison took an early 2-0 lead off an two run homer in the top of the first.

Fairfield was quick to answer back with pitcher Coty Engle finding her way home on a wild pitch, cutting the Fort Madison lead to one, 2-1.

Engle then went to work in the circle, making quick work of the Bloodhounds in the top of the second. After a Fort Madison single, she struck out two and caused a pop up to end the inning.

After a scoreless second inning, Engle added three to her strikeout total in the third then Fairfield added their second run in the bottom of the inning to tie the game 2-2.

After a scoreless fourth inning, the Trojan’s Delaney Breen started what would be the beginning of an eight run inning.

Following a single by Breen, and after the next 11 straight trips to the plate the Trojans would lead 10-2. Fairfield’s Hannah Simpson ended the run with a hit that would score three runs off an Bloodhound error.

Both teams scored four runs in the sixth, which included a grand slam by Fort Madison, but it wouldn’t be enough as the Trojans were able to pull out the win.

Coty Engle went 1-2 in the game with a home run and four RBIs. Delaney Breen and Danielle Breen both went 3-4 in the contest. Delaney had an RBI and Danielle had two. Hannah Simpson went 2-4 with three RBIs. Jenna Norris went 2-4 also with two RBIs. Brynley Allison went 1-4 with an RBI. Peyton McCabe batted 1-5. Savannah Hollander went 1-2 at the plate.

Engle got the win in the circle, allowing five hits, seven runs (six earned), six walks and 11 strikeouts.

In game two, it was all Fort Madison.

After a quick scoreless first inning, the Bloodhounds poured in nine runs in the second.

The Trojans were able to get five runs back in the second, but Fort Madison added two to its total to make it a 11-5 ballgame.

That’s all Fairfield would score the rest of the way.

The Bloodhounds were stellar with the bats in the second game.

Fort Madison clobbered three over the fence, with Erika Kruse hit two homers.

From the fourth inning on, Fort Madison outscored the Trojans 7-0 to split the series.

“We won the first game and then I told them we have to focus now,” Fairfield head coach Robert Bradfield said. “Our goal is to win two. The team was ready, they just hit the ball and scored runs. You just have to tell them to keep playing.”

After 14 hits in the first game, the Trojans had just four in the second.

Delaney Breen went 1-2 with an RBI. Peyton McCabe also went 1-2 with an single RBI. Danielle Breen went 1-2 as well and Olivia Hollander went 1-1.

Laney Norris and Delaney Breen both took a spot in the circle on Thursday.

On Friday against Davenport Assumption, the Trojans struggled to get the bats going, accumulating just two hits in the game.

The Knights scored 10 runs in the first inning, which was enough to gift the Trojans a loss.

Hannah Simpson and Danielle Breen each went 1-2 in the game for Fairfield.

Laney Norris pitched 4.1 innings, allowing 10 runs (seven earned), five walks and five strikeouts.

Against Pleasant Valley, two late game runs propelled the Trojans to victory.

After going scoreless throughout the first three innings, each team put a run on the board in the fourth.

The Spartans took the lead in the fifth after adding a single run, 2-1.

Neither team scored in the sixth, but Fairfield answered when it mattered most, scoring two runs in the seventh inning to edge past Pleasant Valley.

Hannah Simpson went 3-4 in the box with a pair of RBIs. Jenna Norris went 2-3 with an RBI. Delaney Breen and Coty Engle both got two hits each in the win.

After last weeks matchups, the Trojans now sit at 5-3 on the season and will play Burlington (4-2) on Monday.