SOUTH WAYNE - Sophomore pinch-hitter Savanna Burmeister coaxed a walk with the bases loaded to give the Black Hawk softball team a thrilling 8-7 win over Fall River in a WIAA Division 5 regional semifinal game on Wednesday.
Black Hawk led 7-1 before Fall River stormed back with a four-run fifth and a two-run sixth to tie the game at 7.
"We let our guard down," Black Hawk coach Jim Baumgartner said. "We opened the door up, and they came back. They were so excited to come away with a win after giving it up. Hopefully, it gives us a boost going into Friday's game at Williams Bay."
Third-seeded Black Hawk plays at second-seeded Williams Bay for the regional championship.
Black Hawk shut down the Pirates in the seventh behind freshman pitcher Hannah Butler.
"We stepped up our defense in the seventh," Baumgartner said. "I told them in the sixth and seventh that we had to figure it out."
The Warriors' Nos. 5 through 9 hitters had eight of Black Hawk's 12 hits and scored six runs.
"The bottom part of our lineup really came through for us," Baumgartner said.
Black Hawk junior Cheyenne Stewart went 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Junior Lauren Schultz went 2-for-2 with two RBI, and Butler went 2-for-4 with two doubles, two RBI and two runs scored. Senior Morgyn Stauffacher was 2-for-3.
Black Hawk senior Jordyn Delzer singled to start off the seventh. Stewart followed with a single and then Fall River committed an error to load the bases. That set the stages for Burmeister's walk-off walk.
Butler pitched a complete game to get the win. She gave up four earned runs on eight hits, struck out eight and walked six.
Now, the Warriors look forward to the regional final against Williams Bay.
"I think we match up very well," Baumgartner said. "It will be a very competitive game. We have to come to play every inning, and we can go as far as we want."
Argyle 2, Catholic Central 1
ARGYLE - Junior Ashley Bruehlman went 2-for-3 with one RBI to propel Argyle to a Division 5 regional semifinal win over Catholic Central.
Argyle (15-11) advances to play in a regional championship game on Friday. The Orioles will play the winner of today's Monticello vs. top-seeded Johnson Creek game.
Argyle freshman Kyah Hendrickson started and pitched four innings. She gave up one unearned run on four hits and walked three. Junior Kaylie Berget tossed three shutout innings in relief to get the win. Berget gave up one hit and walked one.
"Our fielders came up big," Argyle coach Heidi Ganshert said of the Orioles pitching out of a bases-loaded jam in the fifth without giving up a run. "Our hitters came through when we needed them to."
The Orioles scored two runs in the third to take the lead. Argyle sophomore Kirsten Ostby singled. Senior Kayla Butler-Paulson reached on an error and Ostby scored to tie the game at 1. Bruehlman then delivered a go-ahead RBI single to center to give the Orioles a 2-1 lead.
Paulson had a triple and junior Brianne Connors and senior Samantha Mick each had doubles.
Argyle sophomore right fielder Jadyn Saalsaa made a leaping catch with a runner on second in the sixth.
"Jadyn made an awesome catch that saved us a run," Ganshert said.
In other regional semifinal games, fifth-seeded Palmyra-Eagle knocked off fourth-seeded Brodhead 11-1 in Division 3.
For the third time this season, Iowa-Grant rolled to a five-inning win over SWAL rival Darlington. Iowa-Grant shutout the Redbirds 10-0 in Division 4.
The Monticello regional game at top-seeded Johnson Creek was postponed and was rescheduled for 5 p.m. today. The winner of the game will advance to a regional final Friday to play Argyle.
Black Hawk led 7-1 before Fall River stormed back with a four-run fifth and a two-run sixth to tie the game at 7.
"We let our guard down," Black Hawk coach Jim Baumgartner said. "We opened the door up, and they came back. They were so excited to come away with a win after giving it up. Hopefully, it gives us a boost going into Friday's game at Williams Bay."
Third-seeded Black Hawk plays at second-seeded Williams Bay for the regional championship.
Black Hawk shut down the Pirates in the seventh behind freshman pitcher Hannah Butler.
"We stepped up our defense in the seventh," Baumgartner said. "I told them in the sixth and seventh that we had to figure it out."
The Warriors' Nos. 5 through 9 hitters had eight of Black Hawk's 12 hits and scored six runs.
"The bottom part of our lineup really came through for us," Baumgartner said.
Black Hawk junior Cheyenne Stewart went 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Junior Lauren Schultz went 2-for-2 with two RBI, and Butler went 2-for-4 with two doubles, two RBI and two runs scored. Senior Morgyn Stauffacher was 2-for-3.
Black Hawk senior Jordyn Delzer singled to start off the seventh. Stewart followed with a single and then Fall River committed an error to load the bases. That set the stages for Burmeister's walk-off walk.
Butler pitched a complete game to get the win. She gave up four earned runs on eight hits, struck out eight and walked six.
Now, the Warriors look forward to the regional final against Williams Bay.
"I think we match up very well," Baumgartner said. "It will be a very competitive game. We have to come to play every inning, and we can go as far as we want."
Argyle 2, Catholic Central 1
ARGYLE - Junior Ashley Bruehlman went 2-for-3 with one RBI to propel Argyle to a Division 5 regional semifinal win over Catholic Central.
Argyle (15-11) advances to play in a regional championship game on Friday. The Orioles will play the winner of today's Monticello vs. top-seeded Johnson Creek game.
Argyle freshman Kyah Hendrickson started and pitched four innings. She gave up one unearned run on four hits and walked three. Junior Kaylie Berget tossed three shutout innings in relief to get the win. Berget gave up one hit and walked one.
"Our fielders came up big," Argyle coach Heidi Ganshert said of the Orioles pitching out of a bases-loaded jam in the fifth without giving up a run. "Our hitters came through when we needed them to."
The Orioles scored two runs in the third to take the lead. Argyle sophomore Kirsten Ostby singled. Senior Kayla Butler-Paulson reached on an error and Ostby scored to tie the game at 1. Bruehlman then delivered a go-ahead RBI single to center to give the Orioles a 2-1 lead.
Paulson had a triple and junior Brianne Connors and senior Samantha Mick each had doubles.
Argyle sophomore right fielder Jadyn Saalsaa made a leaping catch with a runner on second in the sixth.
"Jadyn made an awesome catch that saved us a run," Ganshert said.
In other regional semifinal games, fifth-seeded Palmyra-Eagle knocked off fourth-seeded Brodhead 11-1 in Division 3.
For the third time this season, Iowa-Grant rolled to a five-inning win over SWAL rival Darlington. Iowa-Grant shutout the Redbirds 10-0 in Division 4.
The Monticello regional game at top-seeded Johnson Creek was postponed and was rescheduled for 5 p.m. today. The winner of the game will advance to a regional final Friday to play Argyle.
