Lady Toppers suffer loss in Pepin but shut out Panthers at home

By Kelsie Hoitomt

PEPIN – The Glenwood City softball team was able to squeeze one game in last week after rain postponed their other scheduled contests. They hit the road Friday, May 2 to play against the Pepin/Alma Eagles, which ended in a loss of 12-7.

The Lady Toppers redeemed themselves on Monday night with an 8-0 victory over the St. Croix Central Panthers.

Eagles Win

The win put the Eagles in second place in the Dunn-St. Croix Conference with a 6-1 record alongside Elk Mound. The Toppers rested at 2-5 after the loss on Friday.

The game resulted in an Eagles’ win after one bad inning haunted the Toppers once again.

The first inning was a wash between the two teams and then it was an even draw yet again in the second after they each scored three runs.

Nikki Gabbert was walked and then Hannah Ludtke hit a single followed by Carlee Strong who singled to right field, which brought Gabbert home. Ludtke and Strong advanced home after reaching first as well.

The Eagles then took a one point lead in the third, but after the top of the fourth, the score changed to 5-4 in favor of the Hilltoppers when Megan Samens and Mikaela Voeltz crossed home.

Their lead carried over into the fifth inning after the defense held the Eagles to zero runs in the fourth.

The Toppers then put two additional runners across home plate in top of the fifth after sisters, Hannah and Leslie Ludtke scored with the help of their teammates.

Their 7-4 lead seemed promising until the bottom of the fifth when the Eagles fired up their bats and scored every player on their roster but one.

The Toppers were unable to recover and the final two innings went scoreless, which put the end score at 12-7.

“We are three bad innings from being 5-2 instead of 2-5. Our patience at the plate needs to improve. We have a tendency to try and get all our runs back in one swing,” explained coach Pete Gaustad.

Toppers Win at Home

After losing their last three games, the Hilltoppers took a breath of fresh air after beating SCC at home on Monday, May 5.

The Toppers played a flawless game with no errors committed on either side of the ball. Leslie Ludtke was also perfect on the mound with no walks allowed. She threw four strikeouts and allowed nine hits in 31 at bats.

The Toppers took a strong lead in the second inning after scoring five runs by Nikki Gabbert, Hannah Ludtke, Brooke Wickman, Taylor Brittain and Kenzie Kruse.

There was a lull on offense in the third inning as neither team was able to put the ball in motion.

The Toppers then managed to put Natalie Gabbert across home plate in the bottom of the fourth after Perkins hit a double.

Hannah Ludtke touched third base and Brittain hit second in the fifth inning, but no runs were scored until the sixth.

The Toppers scored their final runs in the bottom of the sixth inning with Natalie Gabbert earning her second run after Perkins and Leslie Ludtke both hit a single.

Perkins also scored, which put the final score at 8-0 after the Toppers’ defense allowed just four batters to step into the box before the top of the seventh inning ended.

“We played a great game,” said Gaustad. “Our defense was on their game and even when we were in jams we kept our cool.”

Perkins had a solid game at bat going 3-4 with two RBI’s. Kruse, Leslie Ludtke, Nikki Gabbert and Brittain each had an RBI as well for the team

The Toppers played Tuesday night (May 6) at home as well and they will be back again to defend their diamond on Thursday, May 8 against Mondovi and then on Friday against St. Croix Central.

The varsity will turn around and play in the Gilman Tournament on Saturday, which starts at 9:00 a.m.