WILLIAMS BAY - Black Hawk senior Morgyn Stauffacher hit a squibber in the seventh inning back to the Williams Bay pitcher who fumbled it and freshman Natalie Leuzinger beat the play at the plate to score the winning run and give the Warriors a thrilling comeback 6-5 win over Williams Bay in a WIAA Division 5 regional championship game on Friday.
Black Hawk (13-11) trailed Williams Bay 5-3 to start the seventh. Black Hawk senior Sam Lovelace led off the seventh with a walk. Freshman Hannah Butler singled and Leuzinger bunted for a single to load the bases. Senior Jordyn Delzer reached on an error and two runs scored to tie the game at 5. That set up the game-winning play where Leuzinger scored the go-ahead run on an error.
"I told her (Leuzinger) they would be going home," Black Hawk coach Jim Baumgartner said. "She was getting a really good lead. With her speed and base running, it was going to take a perfect play to get her. She was almost home before the throw."
It marks the first regional title for Black Hawk since 2002.
"The win was huge for our team's sake and the Black Hawk softball program," Baumgartner said. "It's 15 years in the making. These kids wanted to bring Black Hawk softball back in the light again. The celebration was fun to watch. They acted like they won the World Series."
Third-seeded Black Hawk advances to the sectional semifinal to play top-seeded Johnson Creek on Tuesday at a site to be announced. Johnson Creek defeated fourth-seeded Argyle 17-2 in four innings Friday.
Butler went 2-for-4 with one RBI and two runs scored. Leuzinger, sophomore Kaitlyn Fey and junior Lauren Schultz each went 2-for-4. Schultz also had a double.
"Lauren really hit the cover off the ball tonight," Baumgartner said. "It's great when our No. 9 hitter steps up and does that."
Butler pitched a complete game to get the win. She gave up three earned runs on seven hits, struck out 10 and walked three.
Black Hawk (13-11) trailed Williams Bay 5-3 to start the seventh. Black Hawk senior Sam Lovelace led off the seventh with a walk. Freshman Hannah Butler singled and Leuzinger bunted for a single to load the bases. Senior Jordyn Delzer reached on an error and two runs scored to tie the game at 5. That set up the game-winning play where Leuzinger scored the go-ahead run on an error.
"I told her (Leuzinger) they would be going home," Black Hawk coach Jim Baumgartner said. "She was getting a really good lead. With her speed and base running, it was going to take a perfect play to get her. She was almost home before the throw."
It marks the first regional title for Black Hawk since 2002.
"The win was huge for our team's sake and the Black Hawk softball program," Baumgartner said. "It's 15 years in the making. These kids wanted to bring Black Hawk softball back in the light again. The celebration was fun to watch. They acted like they won the World Series."
Third-seeded Black Hawk advances to the sectional semifinal to play top-seeded Johnson Creek on Tuesday at a site to be announced. Johnson Creek defeated fourth-seeded Argyle 17-2 in four innings Friday.
Butler went 2-for-4 with one RBI and two runs scored. Leuzinger, sophomore Kaitlyn Fey and junior Lauren Schultz each went 2-for-4. Schultz also had a double.
"Lauren really hit the cover off the ball tonight," Baumgartner said. "It's great when our No. 9 hitter steps up and does that."
Butler pitched a complete game to get the win. She gave up three earned runs on seven hits, struck out 10 and walked three.
