GRATIOT - As the regular season came to a close, Black Hawk and Albany appear to be moving in polar opposite directions.
In its final year as a single-school program, Albany has seen its share of ups and downs, but the bottom nearly dropped out with a 5-3 loss to the two-win Warriors on Tuesday.
"It's hard to be positive," said Albany coach Connie Wunschel, whose team will join Juda for the spring 2012 season. "This is it. This is all we've got. We should be working hard at it and trying hard to play, because this is it - Albany doesn't have softball after this. Let's at least put a name out there saying we fought hard all the way to the end."
The Comets could never get into a groove at the plate, and errors with runners on base proved costly.
"We've been giving everybody four or five outs and Albany gave us a couple. That's the way the game goes," Black Hawk coach Roger Jackson said. "We played pretty good. I'm very glad we could end the season with a win. It was a long time coming."
Knotted up at 3-3, Black Hawk scored two runs in the top of the fifth. Leadoff batter Jen Wellnitz singled to open the inning and immediately stole second. In three plate appearances, Wellnitz reached first safely (a walk, two hits), and stole second base on the first pitch.
"I was going to have Melissa bunt, but (Jen) ended up getting to second anyhow. That makes a heck of a difference when you get a girl at second with nobody out," Jackson said.
Jen Wellnitz scored for the third time in the game when sister Melissa hit a grounder right through the legs of Albany shortstop Kaitlyn Schulz. Melissa Wellnitz then went to third on a heads-up, baserunning play following a foul out and later scored on an RBI groundout by Jill Engeli.
Albany had the chance to break the game open in each of the first three innings.
The Comets had two runners on base in the first two innings. In the third, Albany batters took advantage of the wildness of Black Hawk starter Kayla Melland, who walked three and allowed a single to the first four batters. Enter reliever Abby Schiferl, who allowed a lone run to score on a sacrifice fly.
"Coach told me before the game to stay focused, so I was. I had my mind set, I really wanted (to win)," Schiferl said. "I was so focused I didn't care what was going on around me. I just wanted to pitch it and get them out."
The Comets mustered up a lone run against Schiferl in the fifth thanks to some small ball. Megan Farley singled to right, went to second on a sacrifice bunt and moved to third on a wild pitch. Hillary Best then singled home the run, which tied the score at 3.
With playoffs just two days away, Black Hawk needed all the confidence it could get with a win of this caliber.
"I hope brightens our mood. We were looking down and haven't gotten many conference wins. Hopefully we have a better attitude going to Barneveld," Schiferl said.
Albany, meanwhile, welcomes Monticello, a higher seed, for the WIAA Division 4 playoff opener on Thursday. The Ponies are running on all cylinders right now, while the Comets have their bags packed and sitting next to the door, according to Wunschel.
"The reality of it is they're just ready to be done," Wunschel said.
In its final year as a single-school program, Albany has seen its share of ups and downs, but the bottom nearly dropped out with a 5-3 loss to the two-win Warriors on Tuesday.
"It's hard to be positive," said Albany coach Connie Wunschel, whose team will join Juda for the spring 2012 season. "This is it. This is all we've got. We should be working hard at it and trying hard to play, because this is it - Albany doesn't have softball after this. Let's at least put a name out there saying we fought hard all the way to the end."
The Comets could never get into a groove at the plate, and errors with runners on base proved costly.
"We've been giving everybody four or five outs and Albany gave us a couple. That's the way the game goes," Black Hawk coach Roger Jackson said. "We played pretty good. I'm very glad we could end the season with a win. It was a long time coming."
Knotted up at 3-3, Black Hawk scored two runs in the top of the fifth. Leadoff batter Jen Wellnitz singled to open the inning and immediately stole second. In three plate appearances, Wellnitz reached first safely (a walk, two hits), and stole second base on the first pitch.
"I was going to have Melissa bunt, but (Jen) ended up getting to second anyhow. That makes a heck of a difference when you get a girl at second with nobody out," Jackson said.
Jen Wellnitz scored for the third time in the game when sister Melissa hit a grounder right through the legs of Albany shortstop Kaitlyn Schulz. Melissa Wellnitz then went to third on a heads-up, baserunning play following a foul out and later scored on an RBI groundout by Jill Engeli.
Albany had the chance to break the game open in each of the first three innings.
The Comets had two runners on base in the first two innings. In the third, Albany batters took advantage of the wildness of Black Hawk starter Kayla Melland, who walked three and allowed a single to the first four batters. Enter reliever Abby Schiferl, who allowed a lone run to score on a sacrifice fly.
"Coach told me before the game to stay focused, so I was. I had my mind set, I really wanted (to win)," Schiferl said. "I was so focused I didn't care what was going on around me. I just wanted to pitch it and get them out."
The Comets mustered up a lone run against Schiferl in the fifth thanks to some small ball. Megan Farley singled to right, went to second on a sacrifice bunt and moved to third on a wild pitch. Hillary Best then singled home the run, which tied the score at 3.
With playoffs just two days away, Black Hawk needed all the confidence it could get with a win of this caliber.
"I hope brightens our mood. We were looking down and haven't gotten many conference wins. Hopefully we have a better attitude going to Barneveld," Schiferl said.
Albany, meanwhile, welcomes Monticello, a higher seed, for the WIAA Division 4 playoff opener on Thursday. The Ponies are running on all cylinders right now, while the Comets have their bags packed and sitting next to the door, according to Wunschel.
"The reality of it is they're just ready to be done," Wunschel said.
