Trojans, Comets 3-4 at Fairfield softball tournament

FAIRFIELD — The field at the 2022 Fairfield Trojan softball invitational was stacked with area teams, but a couple of squads from up north and out west spoiled the fun.

Both Fairfield and Cardinal were knocked down in the semifinals on Saturday. Cardinal was shut out 5-0 by Clear-Creek Amana, and Chariton rallied past Fairfield 10-3.

The losses pitted the Comets and Trojans against each other in the third place game. Cardinal had the early lead, but Fairfield scored six runs over its last two at-bats to win 7-2.

“After the loss, it took is a while to get going with the bats here,” said Fairfield head coach Bob Bradfield. “But part of that is the Cardinal pitcher threw well.”

Indeed, Cardinal’s Nicoa McClure had the Trojans off balance for the first five frames. Fairfield’s only run in those innings came on a first inning pop fly by Hannah Simpson that dropped innocently between Comet defenders.

Cardinal rallied back to take a 2-1 lead. Maddy Lawson tied it up with an RBI double in the bottom of the third inning, and Caitlyn Reber put the Comets on top with an RBI single in the fourth.

Fairfield finally made something happen in the sixth inning. Payton McCabe reached base with a single and eventually scored on a throwing error to tie the game back up at 2-2, and Danielle Breen delivered a clutch single to put Fairfield on top, 3-2.

After a scoreless Cardinal sixth, Fairfield erupted for four more in the top of the seventh. Delaney Breen got things going with an RBI single. Hannah Simpson smashed a two-run homer over the right field fence, and Emersyn Manley made it 7-2 on an RBI ground out.

After the game, Cardinal coach Sabrina Morrison said her squad struggled to adjust to Fairfield pitcher Laney Norris, who threw a complete game in the win.

“We’ve got to pick the pieces up and play in the moment,” Morrison said. “Against Fairfield, we just took ourselves out with our bats.”

Simpson finished the game 3-for-4 with a home run, a double and three RBIs. McCabe, Manley and Danielle Breen each had three hits, and Norris struck out seven batters in the circle.

Van Buren County and New London played in consolation games on Saturday after getting knocked out of the tournament in Friday’s quarterfinals.

Van Buren County dropped their quarterfinal game to Central Lee 7-1. Kylee Roen had the lone RBI in that loss. New London was shut down by Fairfield, 8-0, despite a 2-for-3 day from Ashlyn McSorley.

In the consolation round, the Warriors knocked off the Tigers 4-1. Ivy Davidson knocked in two runs for Van Buren County in the win, and Cala Smith finished with an RBI. Alli Campbell threw a three-hitter in the circle and struck out seven New London batters.

Despite the loss, McSorley stayed hot at the plate, going 2-for-3 with an RBI. Elly Manning and Sophie Malott each had one hit, and Manning gave up just two hits in the circle.