Monticello-New Glarus Knocks Off No. 1 Ranked Belmont
The Monticello-New Glarus Ponies upset the Belmont Braves, the top team in the Six Rivers and No. 1 ranked team in Division 5, 7-1 in a Six Rivers conference game on May 16. The win by the Ponies handed the Braves only their second loss in conference play and third loss of the season. Junior Brooke Ryan went 3x3 with a double and drove in a run while sophomore Rayna Vogel was 1x4 with two RBIs and scored a run. Freshman pitcher Heidi Olson went the distance in the pitching circle and allowed just one run on two hits. The Ponies were scheduled to play a Six Rivers games at home against Benton-Shullsburg on May 19 and at Pecatonica on May 20.
3-Run 7th Inning Gets Win For Brodhead Cardinals
A three-run seventh inning rally lifted the Brodhead Cardinals to a 3-1 win on the road over the Deerfield Demons in nonconference softball on May 16. The Cardinals trailed 1-0 going into the top of the seventh inning. Senior Ava Risum, freshman Mady Henning, and freshman Natalie Pierce each scored a run and senior Tatum Ceslok hit an RBI triple to lead the Cardinals. Risum allowed one unearned run on three hits and struck out 15 batters to earn the complete game win. The Cardinals (16-4 overall) close the regular season at Evansville on May 20. The Cardinals are 7-2 in the Rock Valley-Rock. Brodhead is a No. 3 seed in the WIAA regionals and will host No. 6 seed McFarland in a regional semifinal on May 27.
Juda-Albany Wins 3 of 4
The Juda-Albany Panthers played four games over three days and went 3-1 to up their overall record to 15-10.
On May 15, the Panthers defeated the River Ridge Timberwolves 7-5 in a Six Rivers game. Catcher Phoenix Homan went 2x4 with a triple and drove in four runs to lead Jubany. Freshman Ryleigh Brown went 3x4 and scored two runs. Junior Emerson Briggs pitched a complete game and allowed five runs, all unearned, as the Panthers overcame five errors. Briggs walked one and struck out nine. Juda-Albany improved to 9-8 in the Six Rivers with the win.
The Juda-Albany Panthers met the Iowa-Grant Panthers on May 16 in Cobb and claimed an 8-5 win. Sophomore Anna Bartels hit a home run and had three RBIs. Ryleigh Brown and Emerson Briggs pitched and scattered seven hits and allowed just one earned run. Brown and Briggs each had a double and drove in a run.
The Panthers hosted the Orangeville Broncos in the first game of the Jubany Triangular on May 17 and lost 5-3. The Panthers had a 3-1 lead late in the game, but the Broncos scored four runs in the top of the seventh inning to claim the win. Sophomore catcher Phoenix Homan went 1x2 with a double, two walks and two RBIs to lead Jubany. Ryleigh Brown, Emerson Briggs, and Anna Bartels got the only other hits for the Panthers.
The Panthers rebounded with an 8-3 win over Evansville on May 17 to take third place in the Jubany Triangular. Brown and Briggs each went 2x4 with Brown and Anna Ellinger each getting a double. Brown pitched six innings and allowed three runs, one earned. Senior Kierra Cleasby was 1x2 with an RBI and scored two runs. Juda-Albany will wrap up the regular season May 20 at Argyle-Black Hawk. In the playoffs, Juda-Albany is a 5-seed and will play at 4-seed Wauzeka-Steuben on May 27 in the regional semifinals.
Riverdale Chieftains Overpower Darlington Redbirds 10-4
The Riverdale Chieftains took a 7-1 lead over Darlington in the first three innings and cruised past the Redbirds 10-4 in SWAL softball on May 15 at Muscoda. Offensively, the Redbirds were led by junior Kylie Crist, who went 2x4 with an RBI and a run scored. Staring pitcher Sydney Wiegel got a hit and scored run. Wiegel walked three and struck out five in six innings of work. The Redbirds have lost 10 of their last 11 games. Darlington dropped to 2-11 in the SWAL and 2-17 overall. The Redbirds close the regular season on May 19 at home against the Fennimore Golden Eagles and open up the postseason on May 22 with a home game against Parkview. The winner advances to play at top-seeded Cuba City on May 27.
Benton-Shullsburg Upends Argyle-Black Hawk 1-0
Benton-Shullsburg senior Jessie Ray scored the game’s only run in the third inning as Benton-Shullsburg slipped by Argyle-Black Hawk 1-0 on May 15 at Argyle in Six Rivers softball. Junior Sam Kammes got two of the Orioles five hits in the game. Senior pitcher Mya McNett pitched all seven innings and allowed just two hits with five walks and eight strikeouts. Argyle-Black Hawk dropped to 8-16 overall with the loss and 3-14 in the Six Rivers. The Orioles close out the regular season with a conference game May 20 before traveling to Iowa-Grant on May 27 to open the post-season in a regional semifinal game.
Belleville Blasts Fall River-Rio 17-2 In 3-Inning Game
The Belleville Wildcats needed just three innings to blast Fall River-Rio 17-2 in nonconference softball on May 16. First baseman Brynn Prochaska went 2x3 with five RBIs and three runs scored to lead the Wildcats. Story Fossum and Korynn Potter each drove in three runs as Belleville scored a season-high 17 runs. The win gives Belleville a record of 3-13 overall. The Wildcats played Delavan-Darien in a nonconference game on May 19. They are a No. 9 seed in the Division 3 regionals and play at No. 8 seed Columbus in a regional quarterfinal on May 22.
