Trojans lead All-Union big school softball team

The ranks of the big school Union area softball teams were pretty clear coming into the 2022 season.

Fairfield, a perennial regional finalist and state qualifier as recently as 2020, came into the year with a senior-led squad with plenty of big game experience. Washington and Mt. Pleasant both sported mostly younger, up-and-coming talent.

As the season progressed on, the elder team showed out. Fairfield took second place in the Southeast Conference, finishing above the Demons and Panthers, and went on to make the regional final.

The Trojans netted the majority of the 2022 All-Union team with eight names, landing a coach and seven upperclassmen on the list. Washington had four players, three of them freshmen or younger, and Mt. Pleasant was represented by one senior and one sophomore.

Coach: Bob Bradfield, Fairfield: Bradfield and the Fairfield softball team has run roughshod on teams in Southeast Iowa in recent years, and 2022 was no different.

Bradfield’s Trojans went 29-10 this season, the best overall record of any Southeast Conference team. Fairfield couldn’t quite catch Fort Madison in the standings, finishing second place with a 15-4 record, but the Trojans had some magic left in the tank in the regional tournament.

Fairfield put together 23 runs in its first two regional tournament games, beating Mt. Pleasant 13-0 and a higher-ranked Knoxville squad 10-2, setting them up with a game against Class 4A state favorite Winterset.

The Trojans took the No. 1 ranked Huskies to the wire in the regional final. Winterset escaped Bradfield’s squad by just one run and went on to roll to a state title.

Captain: Hannah Simpson, senior, Fairfield

Nobody in Southeast Iowa brought the power like Fairfield’s senior slugger did in 2022. Simpson continued to give opposing pitchers nightmares in her final year of high school softball.

Simpson led the Trojans with a .523 average this season, but it was the slugging that earned her the SEC’s Player of the Year award, and now a captain spot on the All-Union squad.

Simpson slugged .945 this season, tallying a career high 10 home runs and also knocking out 14 doubles and one singles. By the end of the season, Simpson’s RBI total stood tall at an even 50.

Pitcher: Coty Engle, junior, Fairfield

You can’t make it far in high school softball without someone who can handle the ball in the pitcher’s circle, and Engle has been one of the best around for the last few years.

Engle was solid in the circle for the Trojans this season, going 20-4 with a 2.17 ERA. She struck 183 batters out and held opponents to a .172 average.

Engle was also valuable at the plate, hitting .356. She hit four doubles, three triples and two home runs this season and knocked in 29 runs.

Pitcher: Bella Salazar, freshman, Washington

The young Demons proved to be a dangerous team in 2022, and having strong arms on in the circle didn’t hurt that cause.

Salazar pitched in 23 games for the Demons, one of three freshmen to share 100 percent of the workload this season. She finished the year 8-13 with a 4.56 ERA and 94 strikeouts.

She was also one of the best hitters on the team for the Demons. Salazar hit .333 in her freshman campaign and finished the year with 10 doubles, two home runs and 23 RBIs.

Catcher: Peyton McCabe, junior, Fairfield

Fairfield’s McCabe didn’t waste much time letting her bat do the talking this season. McCabe played long ball in the opener, collecting her first and only home run of the year, but she made her money with singles for the rest of the season.

McCabe hit .398 with a team-high 40 singles and five doubles to go along with her one homer. McCabe collected 15 RBIs on the season.

McCabe also stepped up on the defensive side this season. After spending most of last year on the left side of the infield, McCabe impressed behind the plate as the team’s starting catcher this season.

Infield: Leighton Salazar, eighth-grader, Washington

Representing the eighth-grade class on the 2022 squad is the younger Salazar, one who made quite the splash in her first season of high school softball.

Salazar hit a cool .460 this season, leading her team by over 100 batting average points. She killed defenses with one-baggers, collecting 47 singles on the year.

Salazar had a handful of extra base hits, slugging five doubles. She knocked in 17 runs, and was also electric on the bases, stealing 28 bags.

Infield: Savana Walls, senior, Mt. Pleasant

The heart and soul of a young Mt. Pleasant program has been Walls, who stepped up as the only Panther senior in 2022.

Mt. Pleasant’s short stop hit .286 in the middle of the Panther line up. Seven of her 22 hits were doubles.

Walls knocked in seven runs this season for the Panthers, and was also perfect on the bases, going 8-for-8 in stolen base attempts. She scored 16 runs, a team high.

Infield: Emersyn Manley, junior, Fairfield

Fairfield’s junior designated hitter gave the Trojans quite the power surge in 2022.

Manley hit .327 this season and delivered a handful of extra base hits, knocking two balls out of the park this season and adding five doubles.

Manley was one of three batters in a Fairfield uniform to finish with over 30 RBIs. Her 32 runs batted in was tied for second on the team.

Infield: Jenna Norris, junior, Fairfield

Speaking of power surges, Norris bruised the ball all season for the Trojans.

The senior third baseman hit .314 this season, and she made those hits count. Along with two home runs and eight doubles, Norris finished Top-3 in RBIs, with 32.

Norris only walked seven times this year, but she led the team in a similar category, getting hit by nine pitches. That was two-more than any teammate and the most among the three Union area big school teams.

Outfield: Danielle Breen, senior, Fairfield

Yet another dynamic senior for the Trojans, Breen did it all for her squad in 2022.

Fairfield’s center fielder hit .339 in her final year in a high school uniform. She slugged six doubles, two home runs and one triple, and knocked in 26 RBIs.

She was also one of the most dangerous Trojans on the base paths. Breen finished the year with a team-high six stolen bases in seven attempts.

Outfield: Emma Starr, sophomore, Mt. Pleasant

The up-and-coming Panthers had to rely a lot on underclassmen this season, so it was good to have someone with a little experience to lead that group.

Starr hit .333 in her third year as a varsity player. She finished second on the team with six doubles, and took second as well with 10 RBIs.

Starr was the leading underclassman in runs scored, coming around to score nine times this season.

Outfield: RyLee Fishback, senior, Washington

Washington may have had a strong young core, but the Demon seniors were huge for the team this season.

Fishback, a multiyear standout for the Washington softball program, continued to get it done in 2022, batting .288.

Fishback finished the year with five doubles and two home runs, and despite missing over 10 games due to injury, she tied for the team-lead in RBIs, with 23.

Utility: Ella Greiner, freshman, Washington

Another young standout for the Demon softball team is Greiner, who added a lot of promise to the program with a great year in 2022.

Greiner hit .280 this season and finished second on the team with seven doubles. She nearly hit the 20 RBI mark in her freshman season but wound up knocking in 19.

Greiner and the Demons will have a boatload of talent coming back next year, making them a tough out for years to come.

Utility: Delaney Breen, senior, Fairfield

Fairfield’s senior right fielder was certainly a utility for the Trojans in 2022. Despite coming off an injury in the spring, Breen played all 39 games and contributed a ton to this year’s squad.

Breen hit .323 this season, including 35 singles from the number two spot in the Trojan lineup. She also hit five doubles and knocked in 15 runs.

Breen also stepped up to help the team in the pitcher’s circle this season. She played in 10 games and went 3-0, sporting a 5.45 ERA and 17 strikeouts.