FAIRFIELD, Ohio — The Fairfield High School softball team is being celebrated in style on its journey to state.
The community plans to host a sendoff for the state-bound team at 8:15 a.m. Thursday near the team’s softball field before the team leaves for Akron.
“It’s been a whirlwind week,” Fairfield softball coach Brenda Stieger said before Wednesday's practice. “So many people have reached out. It’s just been fantastic.”
Fairfield is making its first state softball tournament appearance since 1991 when the team was a Division I state semifinalist that season. Fairfield, which defeated Centerville 1-0 in a regional final May 24, is two wins from the program’s first state championship.
Stieger, in her 27th season as the Fairfield head coach, is emotional discussing the first state tournament appearance since 1991. The team knows how much it means to Stieger and the community.
“It’s awesome,” junior center fielder Ava Hensley said. “The whole week leading up to it has just been so exciting. Amazing.”
On Friday, Fairfield (23-3) plays reigning state champion Austintown-Fitch (21-1) in a Division I state semifinal at 3 p.m. at Firestone Stadium in Akron. The winner plays Watkins Memorial (30-1) or Anthony Wayne (29-1) in the state final at 6:15 p.m. Saturday in Akron.
Austintown-Fitch, the reigning Division I state champion, is ranked No. 4 in the Ohio high school softball coaches’ poll and No. 15 nationally by MaxPreps.
Fairfield, winners of 10 consecutive games entering Friday, is unranked in the state poll.
Fairfield has persevered through challenges this postseason during its win streak. The team is simply resilient and wants to prove that again in the state tournament.
“It’s been so much fun,” senior third baseman Abby Stanfield said. “We’ve wanted to go (to state) every single year. Finally making it my last year is something I’ve always wanted to do.”
Fairfield trailed by three runs late in the regional semifinal against Lakota East before rallying for a 6-3 victory. It trailed by five runs to Ross in a district semifinal game before an 11-5 win.
That relentless spirit is emblematic of the team this entire spring, a year after being a Division I regional runner-up.
“It’s been the most crazy experience,” senior shortstop/pitcher Jillian Huey said. “In the beginning of the season, I remember the preseason interviews and getting asked where I think this team will go. And I said that we would make it far. And we were going to make it further in the tournament than we did last year and that’s exactly what we’ve done.”
Fairfield is looking to become the first Ohio High School Athletic Association Cincinnati-area state softball champion since Lakota West (Division I) in 2022.
