Trojans split with Keokuk, setup showdown with Panthers

The Fairfield softball team split a conference doubleheader at Keokuk Thursday night, losing game one 4-3 before claiming game two 17-6.

Game one

The Chiefs jumped out to a 2-0 lead after one inning and although the Trojans scored a run in the second and took the lead with two more in the third, Keokuk refused to quit and claimed a 4-3 victory with the decisive pair of scores coming in the home-half of the sixth.

Freshman Hannah Simpson had three of the Trojans' seven hits, going 3-4 with a RBI and a double. The only other Fairfielder to reach safely twice was eighth-grader Peyton McCabe who was 1-3 with a run scored and a walk drawn.

The 13th time was a charm for the home-team Chiefs who earned their first conference victory of the season against the SEC's top pitcher in Trojan ace Allison Rebling who allowed four earned runs off just four hits while walking eight and striking out four.

Game two

The Trojan offense returned to form and made quicker work of the Chiefs in round two, earning a mercy-shortened 17-6 victory in just five innings to improve to 19-14 overall and 12-2 in the Southeast Conference.

Junior Shay Drish had three of the Trojans' 15 hits to lead Fairfield, going 3-4 with a triple, two runs scored, three RBI and a walk drawn in five trips to the dish.

Freshmen Delaney Breen and Hannah Simpson along with eighth-grader Coty Engle each hit safely multiple times as well, with the trio notching two hits a piece and Engle also having three of the team's 11 RBI.

Ninth-grader Jenna Norris roped the game's lone long-ball, going 1-3 at the plate with a run scored, a RBI and the home run to her credit.

Engle pitched the second game and went six innings, allowing six runs, three of them earned, off four hits with four walks and a strikeout.

Next

The Trojans are 12-2 in the Southeast Conference and will host second-place Mt. Pleasant on Monday with the Panthers just a game behind FHS at 11-3 in the league. Fairfield lost game one at Mt. Pleasant on June 10 before winning the second game 17-5. Of course, FHS just needs to split on Monday to claim the conference crown.