Trojans conk Keokuk in home doubleheader

FAIRFIELD - Trojan baseball fans went home happy on Thursday night after a Southeast Conference sweep against Keokuk. The Trojans rolled in the first game, taking it 12-2 in six innings. Fairfield followed that with another 12-2 win, this time in five innings, in game two.

Fairfield's offense wasted no time in Game 1. After the first two batters reached base, Drew Martin lined a two-RBI triple into the outfield. Brad Smithburg knocked Martin in with a single, and it was 3-0 early.

It was Martin and Smithburg again in the second. Martin brought home two runnerson a single and Smithburg scored one on a sacrifice fly, stretching the lead to 6-0 after two.

Fairfield's offense stalled for the next three innings, allowing Keokuk to cut the lead to 6-2 with a two-run top of the sixth. Fairfield responded with six of their own in the sixth, including two two-run singles by Ledger and Nate Smithburg. The game ended when a Trojan runner scored on a wild pitch.

Carter Ferrel picked up the win in Game 1. He threw four shutout innings and left the game with a six-run lead.

The Trojan bats stayed red-hot in Game 2. Fairfield scored six runs in the first inning, and held a 6-0 lead into the top of the fourth.

Keokuk scored one in the fourth inning, but Fairfield bounced right back with three of their own. B. Smithburg hit a two RBI double and Ledger knocked in one on an infield single.

Leading 9-2 in the fifth inning after another shutout inning from Martin on the mound, Fairfield just needed three runs to end it in five. Matthew Swanson knocked in two runs with a single and Ferrel hit an RBI groundout to end the game.

'I liked the way we played today,” said head coach Josh Allison. 'We've been searching a little bit for our identity. Last year we could sit back and wait for the long ball. This year it's a different squad, different guys, and we hadn't quite figured that out yet. I think tonight was a big step in the right direction for us.”

Fairfield moved to 2-2 on the season. The Trojans will host Burlington in another SEC doubleheader on Monday.