Pioneers Win D5 Softball Regional Championship, Advance to Sectional Title Game
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Sevastopol’s softball team advanced to Thursday’s WIAA Division 5 sectional title game in Stevens Point with two more tournament wins at home.
Sevastopol did most of its scoring early on May 26 on the way to winning the WIAA Division 5 regional championship. The top-seeded Pioneers jumped out to a five-run lead after two innings and held on to defeat No. 4-seeded Niagara, 6-1.
After Sevastopol sent all nine batters to the plate and scored three runs in the first inning, a two-out double in the bottom of the second by Kristen Daubner drove in two more to extend the Pioneers’ lead to 5-0.
The Niagara Badgers’ only run came in the top of the third, when pitcher Abby Wells walked and eventually scored on a wild pitch.
Sevastopol added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Samantha Differt.
Daubner and Libby Ash tallied two hits apiece for the Pioneers, who also recorded 10 stolen bases between Daubner, Kayla Ranly and Bailey Rikkola.
Ash pitched the first six innings for Sevastopol to record the win, allowing only one hit and striking out six. Addison Schauske closed out the game in the top of the seventh by striking out the final three batters.
Sevastopol 6, Laona-Wabeno 5
The Pioneers needed three extra innings to win their sectional semifinal game against No. 2-seeded Laona-Wabeno, 6-5.
Trailing 5-4 in the bottom of the seventh, Jolene Luedtke singled to left field, and Daubner singled to right field. With two outs and two strikes, Schauske doubled on a fly ball to right field, bringing in the tying run, Luedtke.
After two scoreless innings, Sevastopol loaded up the bases in the bottom of the 10th on singles by Schauske, Ash and Naomi Rikkola. Leadoff batter Bailey Rikkola then singled up the middle to bring in courtesy runner Johanna Andreae for the 6-5 win.
Schauske was the winning pitcher, going six innings in relief of Ash, allowing four hits, an earned run and striking out six.
At the plate, Bailey Rikkola hit 3-6 with 2 RBI and two stolen bases. Luedtke went 3-4 with three runs scored. Daubner batted 3-5 with a double and 2 RBI. Alaina Schopf went 3-5, and Addison Schauske went 2-3 with a double.
The Pioneers faced Edgar in Thursday’s sectional final for the right to advance to the WIAA Division 5 state tournament semifinals June 10 at the Goodman Diamond in Madison. That game was scheduled after this week’s edition of the Peninsula Pulse went to press.
Wautoma 12, Southern Door 2
Southern Door’s season came to an end in the Division 3 regional championship May 27 when the No. 6-seeded Eagles lost in six innings at No. 3-seeded Wautoma, 12-2.
