Trojans, Grayhounds play for state

FAIRFIELD - The No. 3 Fairfield and No. 12 Burlington softball teams got to know each other at the Fairfield softball field in late June. The Trojans knocked off the Grayhounds 5-2 and 11-4 in a Southeast Conference doubleheader, which helped catapult them to the conference crown.

Since that night, the Trojans haven't lost. In fact, they've won their last 21 games of the season, but none of those games would matter nearly as much as win number 22, which could happen when the Trojans and Grayhounds reunite tonight (Tuesday) in a battle for the Class 4A Region 7 championship.

The matchup will likely feature Fairfield's Allison Rebling and Burlington's Adessa Brandenburg, the two pitchers who faced off in Game 1 in June. The two traded punches all night long, but it was Rebling who wound up with a complete-game victory, giving up just two earned runs and striking out nine Grayhounds.

Rebling comes into the regional final with a 12-1 record, a 0.86 ERA and 148 strikeouts one of the best resumes in the state of Iowa. Brandenburg is 7-3 with a 2.18 ERA and 88 strikeouts. Burlington also may go with Kayla Norton (9-1) who helped the Grayhounds to a 9-3 win over Mt. Pleasant in their only other regional tournament game.

Both Fairfield and Burlington ssport stellar lineups. Fairfield has seven players with .300 batting averages or higher on the team, including Coty engle, who has been well above .500 all year, currently hitting .554 with 22 RBIs. Hannah Simpson has supplied much of the Trojans' power, hitting .413 with two home runs and 33 RBIs. Danielle Breen (. 403), Shayling Drish (. 365), Allyison Brynley (. 353), Rebling (. 339) and Peyton McCabe (. 333) round out the above-. 300 club. Jenna Norris may be just below the mark, at .294, but can slug with the rest of them, hitting three home runs and 26 RBIs so far this year.

The Grayhounds are no slouches at the plate themselves. Brynna Mehaffy has been electric all year, hitting .488 and stealing 16 bases for Burlington. Lydia Allen-Barnes is hitting .443, and Carley McGinity is hitting .440. In all, seven of Burlington's normal starters hit .300 or above.

Burlington hasn't been nearly as red-hot as Fairfield lately, losing three of their last six games before their tournament win over Mt. Pleasant last week, but the Grayhounds are one of the most dangerous teams on Fairfield's schedule.

Both teams will come into tonight's game hungry. Burlington (17-6) won 20 or more games in each of the last five seasons leading up to the 2020 campaign, but haven't been able to capitalize with a trip to the state tournament in Fort Dodge. Fairfield (23-1) is looking to get back to the big dance for the first time since 2017, when Drish and Rebling saw playing time as freshmen. The Trojans have lost in the regional finals in each of the last two years.