BRODHEAD - There may be a new Big Red Machine on the diamond. The Brodhead softball team put on a hitting clinic for most of their home tournament and finished second place.
The Cardinals (5-1, 2-0 Rock Valley South) opened the tournament Saturday slugging their way to a 16-6 win over Sauk Prairie. The Cardinals went on to beat Potosi 23-0 and lost the championship game 3-2 to Edgerton. The Cardinals, which are looking to win their third straight Rock Valley South Conference championship, scored 41 runs in three tournament games Saturday and are averaging 13.6 runs per game this year.
"Winning the tournament doesn't mean a lot to me," Brodhead coach Steve Krupke said after the Cardinals beat Sauk Prairie. "I would like to play well and get better as a team."
The Cardinals were clinging to a 7-6 lead over Sauk Prairie before batting around the order and exploding for a nine-run sixth inning to put the game away. Brodhead senior Tia Collins, who is a University of Wisconsin-Green Bay recruit, led off the sixth by crushing a triple to right. Sophomore Amanda Pickel was hit by a pitch and senior Mariah Mohns singled to load the bases. Brodhead senior Shi Strommen delivered a clutch, three-run double to center to give the Cardinals 10-6 lead.
The Cardinals pounded out 19 hits. Collins went 4 for 5 and had two hits in the sixth, including an RBI single. Collins was one of six players with multi-hit games. The other players with multi-hit games included senior Erika Stampfli (3 for 4 with 3 RBIs), Pickel (2 for 3 with 4 RBIs), Strommen (2 for 5 with 4 RBIs), Bri Hicks (2 for 3) and Mohns (2 for 5).
"It's really important to show the community what we can do," Collins said. "There are some really good teams here. It will give us momentum going into the rest of our games."
Stampfli, Hicks, Katie McGuire and Collins each followed with RBI singles. Pickel then came through with a two-run double to give the Cardinals the 16-6 lead.
Krupke was excited with how his team responded and bounced back after Sauk Prairie cut it to a 7-6 lead.
"You need your seniors to step up," Krupke said. "That is exactly what she (Strommen) did. If seniors won't give up the underclassmen won't give up either."
Collins said that maintaining patience while hitting was key.
"We just built off of each others momentum," Collins said. "We made sure it was a good pitch before we swung."
Stampfli pitched a complete game and gave up two earned runs on three hits. She struck out nine, walked eight and hit three. The Eagles got the leadoff batter on base in four of the six innings. However, Stampfli pitched out of several jams, including a two on no-out jam in the first where she struck out three straight hitters.
The Eagles left eight runners on base in the first four innings. It wasn't until the fourth that the Eagles broke through against Stampfli. The Eagles scored four runs in the fourth sparked by a dropped fly ball in left that allowed two runs to score.
"In the perfect world, I would rather not see the big innings," Krupke said. "It won't go perfect all year. Any adversity that we can manage through, I'm all for it."
Brodhead 23,
Potosi 0
Pickel pitched a two-hit shutout and played a big role in the Cardinals rolling past the Chieftains. The Cardinals pounded out 27 hits and Pickel finished 5 for 5 with five RBIs.
Mohns went 5 for 5 and Collins was 4 for 4 with 4 RBIs. Jana Covert went 3 for 3 and Stampfli was 3 for 4.
The Cardinals scored four runs in the first and broke the game open with a nine-run second. They put the game away with a seven-run fourth.
Krupke is confident that Pickel can give the Cardinals the No. 2 pitcher they need.
"It will help keep Erika ready for the big games," Krupke said. "That way we don't wear her down."
Edgerton 3, Brodhead 2
In a battle of unbeatens, the Crimson Tide won on Anne Tronnes' RBI single in the bottom of the seventh off Stampfli.
The game-winning run was set up after Stampfli issued two walks. Stampfli pitched the entire game. She struck out seven and gave up just three earned runs on three hits.
"It's good to be in a close game," Krupke said. "That is what we will be playing down the stretch. Hopefully, that will make them hungrier."
The Cardinals (5-1, 2-0 Rock Valley South) opened the tournament Saturday slugging their way to a 16-6 win over Sauk Prairie. The Cardinals went on to beat Potosi 23-0 and lost the championship game 3-2 to Edgerton. The Cardinals, which are looking to win their third straight Rock Valley South Conference championship, scored 41 runs in three tournament games Saturday and are averaging 13.6 runs per game this year.
"Winning the tournament doesn't mean a lot to me," Brodhead coach Steve Krupke said after the Cardinals beat Sauk Prairie. "I would like to play well and get better as a team."
The Cardinals were clinging to a 7-6 lead over Sauk Prairie before batting around the order and exploding for a nine-run sixth inning to put the game away. Brodhead senior Tia Collins, who is a University of Wisconsin-Green Bay recruit, led off the sixth by crushing a triple to right. Sophomore Amanda Pickel was hit by a pitch and senior Mariah Mohns singled to load the bases. Brodhead senior Shi Strommen delivered a clutch, three-run double to center to give the Cardinals 10-6 lead.
The Cardinals pounded out 19 hits. Collins went 4 for 5 and had two hits in the sixth, including an RBI single. Collins was one of six players with multi-hit games. The other players with multi-hit games included senior Erika Stampfli (3 for 4 with 3 RBIs), Pickel (2 for 3 with 4 RBIs), Strommen (2 for 5 with 4 RBIs), Bri Hicks (2 for 3) and Mohns (2 for 5).
"It's really important to show the community what we can do," Collins said. "There are some really good teams here. It will give us momentum going into the rest of our games."
Stampfli, Hicks, Katie McGuire and Collins each followed with RBI singles. Pickel then came through with a two-run double to give the Cardinals the 16-6 lead.
Krupke was excited with how his team responded and bounced back after Sauk Prairie cut it to a 7-6 lead.
"You need your seniors to step up," Krupke said. "That is exactly what she (Strommen) did. If seniors won't give up the underclassmen won't give up either."
Collins said that maintaining patience while hitting was key.
"We just built off of each others momentum," Collins said. "We made sure it was a good pitch before we swung."
Stampfli pitched a complete game and gave up two earned runs on three hits. She struck out nine, walked eight and hit three. The Eagles got the leadoff batter on base in four of the six innings. However, Stampfli pitched out of several jams, including a two on no-out jam in the first where she struck out three straight hitters.
The Eagles left eight runners on base in the first four innings. It wasn't until the fourth that the Eagles broke through against Stampfli. The Eagles scored four runs in the fourth sparked by a dropped fly ball in left that allowed two runs to score.
"In the perfect world, I would rather not see the big innings," Krupke said. "It won't go perfect all year. Any adversity that we can manage through, I'm all for it."
Brodhead 23,
Potosi 0
Pickel pitched a two-hit shutout and played a big role in the Cardinals rolling past the Chieftains. The Cardinals pounded out 27 hits and Pickel finished 5 for 5 with five RBIs.
Mohns went 5 for 5 and Collins was 4 for 4 with 4 RBIs. Jana Covert went 3 for 3 and Stampfli was 3 for 4.
The Cardinals scored four runs in the first and broke the game open with a nine-run second. They put the game away with a seven-run fourth.
Krupke is confident that Pickel can give the Cardinals the No. 2 pitcher they need.
"It will help keep Erika ready for the big games," Krupke said. "That way we don't wear her down."
Edgerton 3, Brodhead 2
In a battle of unbeatens, the Crimson Tide won on Anne Tronnes' RBI single in the bottom of the seventh off Stampfli.
The game-winning run was set up after Stampfli issued two walks. Stampfli pitched the entire game. She struck out seven and gave up just three earned runs on three hits.
"It's good to be in a close game," Krupke said. "That is what we will be playing down the stretch. Hopefully, that will make them hungrier."
