MADISON - The heart of the Juda-Albany softball team's lineup was just too much for Phillips as the Panthers rolled to a 13-4 win in a WIAA Division 4 state semifinal game Thursday at Goodman Diamond in Madison.
Juda-Albany senior Sara Jordan, junior Hailey Kammerer and senior Alexis Goecks went a combined 8-for-13 to power the Panthers to the win and the program's first state championship game appearance. Jordan went 3-for-4 with three runs scored and one RBI. Kammerer went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and one RBI, and Goecks went 2-for-5 with two runs scored and one RBI.
With the win, Juda-Albany (26-2) will play in the state championship game at 10:30 a.m. Saturday. The Panthers will play the winner of Stevens Point Pacelli and Shiocton, which play a state semifinal game this morning.
Goecks crushed a triple to right leading off the first inning. Jordan bunted for a single. She took second since the Loggers didn't want to risk a throw to first base with Goecks on third. Senior Sayde McDermott then lined a two-run single to center to give the Panthers a 2-0 lead.
The Panthers committed two errors in the bottom of the first that led to one unearned run. Juda-Albany junior Nicki Becker worked out of the inning with two straight strikeouts. Phillips' Morgan Edwards retired 10 straight batters after the first. Kammerer broke up the hitting drought with a single in the fourth. Edwards struggled with her control in the fifth, walking three and throwing three wild pitches as Juda-Albany batted around the order in a six-run inning. She walked Juda-Albany senior Riley Adkins. Goecks then bunted for a single. Edwards threw a wild pitch and runners moved to second and third. Adkins scored on a second wild pitch by Edwards to give the Panthers a 3-1 lead. Edwards then walked senior Chelsea Burkhalter and Jordan followed with an RBI single to extend the Panthers' lead to 4-1. Edwards walked McDermott. Becker helped her own cause driving in a run on a sacrifice fly. Kammerer then delivered a two-run triple to give the Panthers an insurmountable 7-1 lead. Junior Sammi Detra then came through with an RBI single to give the Panthers an 8-1 lead.
The Loggers were plagued by five errors. Edwards went 3-for-4 with one run scored and one RBI to lead the Loggers at the plate.
Becker pitched a complete game to get the win. She gave up three earned runs on six hits. Becker struck out eight and walked two.
Juda-Albany senior Sara Jordan, junior Hailey Kammerer and senior Alexis Goecks went a combined 8-for-13 to power the Panthers to the win and the program's first state championship game appearance. Jordan went 3-for-4 with three runs scored and one RBI. Kammerer went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and one RBI, and Goecks went 2-for-5 with two runs scored and one RBI.
With the win, Juda-Albany (26-2) will play in the state championship game at 10:30 a.m. Saturday. The Panthers will play the winner of Stevens Point Pacelli and Shiocton, which play a state semifinal game this morning.
Goecks crushed a triple to right leading off the first inning. Jordan bunted for a single. She took second since the Loggers didn't want to risk a throw to first base with Goecks on third. Senior Sayde McDermott then lined a two-run single to center to give the Panthers a 2-0 lead.
The Panthers committed two errors in the bottom of the first that led to one unearned run. Juda-Albany junior Nicki Becker worked out of the inning with two straight strikeouts. Phillips' Morgan Edwards retired 10 straight batters after the first. Kammerer broke up the hitting drought with a single in the fourth. Edwards struggled with her control in the fifth, walking three and throwing three wild pitches as Juda-Albany batted around the order in a six-run inning. She walked Juda-Albany senior Riley Adkins. Goecks then bunted for a single. Edwards threw a wild pitch and runners moved to second and third. Adkins scored on a second wild pitch by Edwards to give the Panthers a 3-1 lead. Edwards then walked senior Chelsea Burkhalter and Jordan followed with an RBI single to extend the Panthers' lead to 4-1. Edwards walked McDermott. Becker helped her own cause driving in a run on a sacrifice fly. Kammerer then delivered a two-run triple to give the Panthers an insurmountable 7-1 lead. Junior Sammi Detra then came through with an RBI single to give the Panthers an 8-1 lead.
The Loggers were plagued by five errors. Edwards went 3-for-4 with one run scored and one RBI to lead the Loggers at the plate.
Becker pitched a complete game to get the win. She gave up three earned runs on six hits. Becker struck out eight and walked two.
