Elk Mound softball rounding out the infield for the 2019 season
PROTECTED CONTENT
If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above.
Username and Password Help
Please enter your email and we will send you a password reset link.
THE ELK MOUND GIRLS’ Softball team members, pictured above, is preparing for the upcoming 2019 season. Members include, in no particular order, seniors Abigail Curry, Amber Gilbertson, Alyssa Lauer and Morgan Radtke; juniors Hailey Blaskowski, Sophie Cedarblade, Clare Hallum, Orianna Horel and Kayli Solberg; sophomore Marian Lee; and freshmen McKenna Diermeier, Maddie Dutzle, Morgan Hallum, Issie Hollister, Hannah Larson, Arianna Pinder and Kallee Rhude. —photo by Amber Hayden
By Amber Hayden
ELK MOUND — After three straight Dunn-St. Croix conference championships, the Elk Mound girls’ softball team finished 7-2 and tied for second with Boyceville in last year’s conference race.
This season the Lady Mounders, who finished 12-4 overall in 2018 following a weather-shortened schedule, are looking to get back to the top but will need to round out their infield in order to do so.
“We are looking to win a conference title and an overall increase in skill and knowledge of the game,” said Elk Mound’s head coach Samantha Stelter, who is in her third year as head coach and has a 34-9 record.
Lost to graduation were Allison Lindquist, a three-year starter behind the plate who worked well with pitching ace Clare Hallum and the Mounders’ leading hitter, and Madison Borofka, who was a quiet performer at second base but had great field awareness.
Stetler said both players will be tough to replace for this upcoming season.
Dunn-St. Croix “Player of the Year” for the 2018, Clare Hallum, has been a two-year starter for Elk Mound on the mound and was a first team all-conference and first team all-district selection. Hallum is once again expected to handle the majority of the pitching duties for the Mounders.
Hallum’s 2018 record mirrored that of the Mounders’ squad as she won 12 and lost just four contests. Pitching the most of any conference hurler, 101 and a third innings, Hallum had a 1.87 ERA and surrendered just 88 hits, 47 runs (27 of which were earned) and 27 base on balls. She also finished with 88 strike outs.
Hallum also provided Elk Mound with some offensive punch recording 19 hits and lead her team in RBI with 20.
First team, all-conference selection and senior Abigail Curry will be in left field or possibly infield for the upcoming season and will be joined by honorable mention performer Hailey Blaskowski, who is moving from third base to catching.
Blaskowski, a junior, and Curry were the second and third leading hitters, respectively on last season’s team. Blaskowski finished with 22 hits including four of the extra base variety while Curry tallied 21 including six doubles, a pair of triple and a home run and finished with 18 RBIs.
Second team, all-conference player and junior Sophie Cedarblade will take up centerfield and senior Morgan Radtke will also return to the infield. The pair were also big contributors on offense as Cedarblade tallied 19 hits and Radtke collected 17.
Two incoming freshmen, McKenna Diermeier and Issie Hollister, bring a lot of game experience and game knowledge to the Mounders and the hope is for them to round out the infield.
“The players are looking forward to an enjoyable, competitive season,” Stelter explained. “We are looking to win a conference title and an overall increase in skill and knowledge of the game.”
The Mounders’ strengths will be found in their offense, pitching and overall experience, but with younger players in key positions may be seen as a weakness for Elk Mound.
Elk Mound will keep their eyes on Pepin/Alma, who return a solid group from last year’s conference championship team, as well as Elmwood who returns a strong pitcher.
With the weather warming up, the Mounders hope to kick off their season with their first away game against Amery on Thursday, March 28.
2019 Roster
Seniors: Abigail Curry, Amber Gilbertson, Alyssa Lauer and Morgan Radtke.
Juniors: Hailey Blaskowski, Sophie Cedarblade, Clare Hallum, Orianna Horel and Kayli Solberg.
Sophomore: Marian Lee.
Freshmen: McKenna Diermeier, Maddie Dutzle, Morgan Hallum, Issie Hollister, Hannah Larson, Arianna Pinder and Kallee Rhude.