Trojans earn softball split at Iowa City West

IOWA CITY ? After finding themselves on the wrong end of a two-out rally that resulted in an extra-inning loss to Washington Thursday night, the Fairfield softball team took notes and turned it around on Linn-Mar.

The Trojans scored three runs in the top of the seventh to win a 7-5 game to open the night at the Iowa City West Tournament before splitting the evening with a 10-4 loss to Mid-Prairie.

With two outs in the seventh, eighth-grade pinch runner Marisa Repp stood on first base and Fairfield facing a 5-4 deficit. She advanced to second on a passed ball before Brittany Craff roped her third hit of the game ? an RBI double to plate the tying run. Taylor Neil then brought in Craff for what proved to be the game winner before Rachel Schwarz added one more insurance RBI to complete the three-run inning that won Fairfield the game.

Haley Grunwald got back in the win column from the pitching circle after going all five innings allowing nine hits and striking out one with a defense that didn?t commit a single error behind her.

?Haley threw well for us in the first game. She?s young and has been up and down so far this year, so hopefully this will get some confidence back,? said head coach Bob Bradfield.

In the second game of the night, Mid-Prairie scored four runs in the top of the first inning off Fairfield starter Amanda Chatfield and never looked back en route to the 10-4 win.

One night removed from hurling nine innings in the loss to Washington, Chatfield struck out three and gave up 12 hits in seven innings of work to take the loss.

Jessi Cay, Craff and Neil all had multi-hit games to lead the 11-hit offense.

Fairfield will now face a tough test at home tonight vs. Class 3A No. 5 Fort Madison. The Southeast Conference doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m.