DARLINGTON — Softball season kicked off in southern Wisconsin, as Pecatonica run-ruled Darlington 14-0 in five innings on Tuesday, March 21. Starting pitcher Chloe Schraepfer and relief pitcher Bri Peterson combined for the shutout.
Darlington escaped the first without allowing a run, as Schraepfer flew out to center. Brooklyn Johnsrud, who was at second, failed to tag up and was thrown out for an inning-ending double play.
Schraepfer mowed down the Redbird offense in the first inning, allowing just one walk with two strikeouts.
Maddie Hirsch then kicked off a six-run second inning for Pecatonica with a double to center. The Vikings loaded the bases on a walk and Darlington error, and their first run came across on a Redbird walk. With another walk, Pecatonica took a 2-0 lead. Johnsrud and Peterson then hit back-to-back singles for another four runs.
Schraepfer collected another two strikeouts in the bottom of the second.
The Vikings added insurance runs in the third and fourth. Alyssa Cassidy scored Diana Hendrickson on a fielder’s choice, and Johnsrud scampered home on Schraepfer’s groundout.
Darlington’s best scoring opportunity came in the bottom of the fourth. Jaylyn Schwartz led off the inning with a single to short. After a pop out, Sydney Wiegel walked to put Schwartz in scoring position. Schraepfer escaped the inning, though, with a strikeout and grounder to Kyra Chrostowski.
Pecatonica used that momentum to put up another crooked number in the top of the fifth. The Vikings batted around the order for six more runs.
Chrostowski singled to right, followed by a walk. Wiegel then hit Mikaela Gross to load the bases. Back-to-back walks gave Pecatonica a 10-0 lead. Gross used her speed to take home on a passed ball, while Peterson drove in the remaining two runners on a single to left. After a single from Hirsch, Hendrickson brought Peterson home with another single to left.
The Vikings changed their defensive alignment in the bottom of the fifth up by 14, sending Peterson to the mound. She completed the shutout, inducing two ground balls with one strikeout.
Pecatonica recorded eleven hits, with Peterson going a perfect 3-for-3 on the day. Hirsch and Hendrickson chipped in two hits each, while Johnsrud scored three runs with three RBIs. Although she didn’t record a hit, Trinity Gruenenfelder reached base four times on walks.
Defensively, the Vikings were just one hit away from a no-hitter. Schraepfer recorded six strikeouts in four innings, allowing two walks. Peterson relieved, collecting one strikeout.
Darlington’s lone hit came from Schwartz in the fourth. The other two batters to reach were Lylah Norgard and Sophie Wiegel.
The Redbirds used three pitchers during the game. Sophie Wiegel got the start, going 1.1 innings. She gave up five earned runs on four hits. Sydney Wiegel came in for three innings of relief, allowing six earned runs. Kylie Butler threw the final inning, giving up two runs.
