Mounders softball wins four but handed first D-SC loss by Wallin and the Hilltoppers
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CLOSE PLAY AT HOME PLATE — Elk Mound’s Sophie Cedarblade tried to score on this play during the Mounders’ softball game in Glenwood City last Thursday. Toppers’ catcher Delanie Fayerweather tagged Cedarblade out before she could touch the plate. Glenwood City spoiled Elk Mound’s perfect conference record with a 7-2 win.
—photo by Shawn DeWitt
By Amber Hayden
It was another busy week for the Elk Mound softball team as they played conference games against Elmwood/Plum City, Glenwood City and Mondovi before taking on Prescott and Altoona in a triangular hosted by Altoona last Saturday.
The Lady Mounders finished the week with four wins and a loss. That lone setback came last Thursday in Glenwood City as the Hilltoppers beat the Mounders to earn a share of the Dunn-St. Croix lead.
Currently, Elk Mound is 13-1 in the conference standings while Glenwood City is 14-1 with just a few days left in the regular season. The Mounders are 17-3 overall.
The Mounders opened last week by blanking the Elmwood/Plum City Wolves 10-0 at home on Monday, May 6. The defense of the Mounders was on point and helped pitcher Clare Hallum as she gave up just two hits in the five-inning contest and finished with four strikeouts.
It was a tough rematch between Elk Mound and the Glenwood City Hilltoppers on Thursday, May 9. A five-run, third inning and 15 strikeouts by senior pitching ace Maggie Wallin lifted the Toppers, who have been on fire as of late, to a 7-2 home win. Elk Mound was silenced throughout most of the game, scoring only in the second and sixth innings as Glenwood City ended Elk Mound’s conference win streak at 12 games. Both teams are receiving honorable mention status in the state polls.
Elk Mound redeemed themselves the following day, Friday, May 10, against the Mondovi Buffaloes with a 10-0 victory on the diamond. Abby Curry had a bit to do with it as she led Elk Mound with three RBIs against Mondovi.
The Mounders wrapped up the week at a triangular hosted by the Altoona Railroaders on Saturday, May 11. Elk Mound walked away with wins over Prescott (3-1) and Altoona (10-1). Between the two games Elk Mound had ten RBIs, five of which came against Altoona and were credited to Hailey Blaskowski.
Elk Mound finished up their conference and regular seasons with a game on Monday, May 13 game in Pepin against the Pepin/Alma Eagles and at Durand yesterday, Tuesday, May 14.
Elk Mound has earned a first-round bye in the WIAA Division 3 tournament which gets underway this Thursday, May 16. The Lady Mounders are set to host the winner of the #9 Stratford vs. #8 Osseo-Fairchild game next Tuesday, May 21 in a regional semifinal contest with that victor advacing to the May 23 regional championship.
Elmwood/Plum City
The Mounders ladies were on their home diamond on Monday evening, May 6, against the Elmwood/Plum City Wolves and added another win to their tally by a score of 10-0.
Elk Mound took an early lead in the bottom of the first inning when Hailey Blaskowski hit a single to left field which allowed Sophie Cedarblade to tag up and get the team’s first run of the game.
Elk Mound tacked on four runs in the fourth and five in the fifth inning to bring the contest to an end.
Cedarblade had three hits in her three at bats and scored three runs for the Mounders. Blaskowski was two-of-three at the plate with three RBIs and one run.
In the pitching circle, Clare Hallum was able to add four more strikeouts to her career total all the while giving up just two hits in Monday evening’s shut out. Hallum was also three-of-three at the plate for Elk Mound and was credited with one RBI.
Also earning three RBIs for Elk Mound was Abby Curry when she tripled in the third and doubled in the fourth, Curry was two-of-two at the plate with two runs.
ELK MOUND 10, ELMWOOD/PLUM CITY 0
Elk Mound.….….….……1 0 4 5 X– 10
Elmwood/Plum City.…..0 0 0 0 0 – 0
Elk Mound (10) AB-H-R: McKenna Diermeier 3-2-2, Sophie Cedarblade 3-3-3, Hailey Blaskowski 3-2-1, Clare Hallum 3-3-0, Morgan Hallum 0-0-2, Abby Curry 2-2-2, Issie Hollister 2-0-0, Hannah Larson 3-0-0, Kallee Rhude 2-0-0. Total 24-13-10.
Elmwood/Plum City (0) AB-H-R: Kali Brathol 3-1-0, Rowan Rupakus 1-1-0, Brooklyn Link 1-0-0, Anna Blanford 2-0-0, Taylin Delong 2-0-0, Maggie Glaus 2-0-0, Hannah Baier 2-0-0, Halli Martin 2-0-0. Total 17-2-0.
Pitching: Elk Mound — Clare Hallum 5 IP, 2 H, 4 K, 2 BB, 0 R; EPC — Anna Blanford 4 IP, 13 H, 6 K, 0 BB, 10 R (9 earned).
Glenwood City
Unfortunately for the Mounders, the Glenwood City Hilltoppers and Maggie Wallin were on their game in the teams’ second meeting of the season. One that would help decide the championsnip in the D-SC.
SAFE AT SECOND — Glenwood City baserunner Kendall Schutz made it to second base before the Mounders’ Clare Hallum was able to apply the tag in a D-SC softball game played in Glenwood City last Thursday, May 9. The Hilltoppers beat the Mounders 7-2.
—photo by Shawn DeWitt
“Maggie Wallin pitched a great game on the mound and our girls just couldn’t adjust,” said coach Brunner. “Defensively we had to make some changes too.”
With the 7-2 loss to the Toppers, the Mounders now find themselves a half of a game back of the Hilltoppers with two games left in the conference and regular season.
A five-run third inning was all Glenwood City needed for the victory as senior Maggie Wallin struck out 15 Mounder batters and allowed just five hits and two runs, both earned.
Meanwhile, Clare Hallum struggled early as Glenwood City continued to hit every ball off her in the first two innings of the Thursday’s game. Hallum gave up five hits and six earned runs to Glenwood in just two innings of work and suffered her first conference loss of the season.
Hallum, who was 1-for-2 batting, scored one of the Mounders’ two runs while McKenna Diermeier scored the other Elk Mound run against Glenwood City. Diermeier came in to relieve Hallum of her pitching duties in the third inning and gave up just two hits and one unearned run in four innings.
Hallum had the Mounders only extra base hit – a double – while Diermeier, Sophie Cedarblade, Hailey Blaskowski and Abby Curry had the other Mounder base hits.
“Overall, we can’t win a game without putting the ball in play and that was what we couldn’t do,” Brunner explained. “It was an unforeseen night with 15 strikeouts and battling from behind the majority of the game.”
ELK MOUND 2, GLENWOOD CITY 7
Elk Mound….….…..0 1 0 0 0 1 0 – 2
Glenwood City.……0 1 5 0 1 0 X – 7
Elk Mound (2) AB-H-R: McKenna Diermeier 3-1-1, Sophie Cedarblade 3-1-0, Hailey Blaskowski 3-1-0, Clare Hallum 2-1-1, Abby Curry 3-1-0, Issie Hollister 3-0-0, Hannah Larson 2-0-0, Morgan Radtke 1-0-0, Orianna Horel 3-0-0, Kallee Rhude 2-0-0. Total 25-5-2.
Glenwood City (7) AB-H-R: Maddie Oehlke 4-1-1, Allexys Curvello 2-0-0, Ashlee Peterson 3-2-0, Bella Lawson 2-0-0, Anna Brigham 4–0-0, Maggie Wallin 4-1-0, Kaitlin Lee 2-0-1, Logan Hoitomt 3-2-1, Delanie Fayerweather 1-1-2, Kendall Schutz 0-0-1, Kassidi Thompson 0-0-1. Total 24-7-7.
Pitching: Elk Mound — Clare Hallum 2 IP, 5 H, 1 K, 1 BB, 6 R (6 earned), McKenna Diermeier 4 IP, 2 H, 3 K, 6 BB, 1 R (0 earned); Glenwood City — Maggie Wallin 7 IP, 4 H, 15 K, 1 BB, 2 R (0 earned).
Mondovi
The Mounders wasted no time during Friday evening’s, May 10th, game against the Mondovi Buffaloes as they scored their second 10-0 win of the week.
GOOD CONTACT — Elk Mound’s Abby Curry hit this single in last Thursday’s softball game in Glenwood City. The Mounders suffered their first Dunn-St. Croix loss as the Hilltoppers prevailed 7-2 behind the 15-strike out performance of senior pitcher Maggie Wallin. —photo by Shawn DeWitt
Elk Mound got things started in the first inning as they scored four back-to-back runs by Hailey Blaskowski, Clare Hallum, Abby Curry and Issie Hollister.
The Mounders, behind 12 hits, added single runs in the second and sixth innings and two runs each in the third and fourth frames.
Morgan Radtke brought in two of the four runs in the first inning when she doubled a line drive into left field. Radtke was two-for-two at the plate with a double and a run scored, two RBIs and a walk. Radtke had been playing defense as of late, according to coach Brunner, due to her bat not being hot.
Hailey Blaskowski was also perfect at the plate with three hits in three at bats and scored twice. Issie Hollister and Abby Curry also had a pair of hits. Hollister finished with a double and two runs scored while Curry collected three RBIs. Kailee Rhude also doubled for Elk Mound.
The Mounder’s pitching ace, Clare Hallum, was hot at the plate and in the pitching circle as she handed out 51 strikes in her 75 pitches, four of which were strikeouts to earn yet another pitching victory. Hallum was also two-of-three at the plate with three runs and a walk for Elk Mound.
ELK MOUND 10, MONDOVI 0
Elk Mound….….…..4 1 2 2 0 1 – 10
Mondovi….…..……0 0 0 0 0 0 – 0
Elk Mound (10) AB-H-R: McKenna Diermeier 3-0-1, Sophie Cedarblade 3-0-0, Hailey Blaskowski 3-3-2, Clare Hallum 3-2-3, Abby Curry 4-2-1, Issie Hollister 3-2-2, Morgan Radtke 2-1-1, Orianna Horel 3-0-0, Kallee Rhude 3-1-0. Total 27-11-10.
Mondovi (0) AB-H-R: Rian Evans 3-0-0, Abbey Fedie 3-0-0, Izzy Johnson 2-1-0, Lyndsey Thompson 3-1-0, Jenna Zacharias 3-0-0, Whitney Roytek 2-0-0, Macayla Thompson 2-1-0, Ell Poeschel 2-0-0. Total 23-3-0
Pitching: Elk Mound — Clare Hallum 6 IP, 3 H, 4 K, 1 BB, 0 R; Mondovi — Rian Evans 1 1/3 IP, 6 H, 0 K, 2 BB, 5 R (5 earned), Abby Johnson 4 IP, 5 H, 3 K, 3 BB, 5 R (2 earned).
Prescott
Elk Mound traveled to Altoona on Saturday morning, May 11, to take part in a triangular against the Prescott Cardinals and the Altoona Railroaders.
First up for the Mounders was Prescott and it was a quiet game for the most part as Elk Mound maintained their 2-1 lead through six innings and wrapped it up with a late score to make the final 3-1.
Clare Hallum was once again in the circle for Elk Mound and was able to shut down the Cardinals through six innings giving up just five hits and one earned run while striking out three. Hallum was also one-of-three at the plate with an RBI.
Hailey Blaskowski and Issie Hollister also were credited with one RBI a piece against Prescott. Blaskowski had two hits in three at bats with two runs and Hollister was one-for-three.
ELK MOUND 3, PRESCOTT 1
Elk Mound….….…..2 0 0 0 0 1 X – 3
Prescott….…..……1 0 0 0 0 0 0 – 1
Elk Mound (3) AB-H-R: McKenna Diermeier 2-1-1, Sophie Cedarblade 2-0-0, Hailey Blaskowski 3-2-2, Clare Hallum 3-1-0, Abby Curry 3-1-0, Issie Hollister 3-1-0, Morgan Radtke 3-0-0, Orianna Horel 2-0-0, Kallee Rhude 2-0-0. Total 23-6-3.
Prescott (1) AB-H-R: A. Temmers 4-1-0, S. Matzek 4-1-1, B. Lenz 4-0-0, M. Carey 3-1-0, H. Hudak 3-2-0, E. Rohl 2-0-0, K. Lewis 2-0-0, F. Stiles 3-0-0, B. Goehrinh 3-0-0. Total 28-5-1.
Pitching: Elk Mound — Clare Hallum 7 1/3 IP, 5 H, 3 K, 1 BB, 1 R (1 earned); Prescott — S. Matzek 6 IP, 6 H, 3 K, 1 BB, 3 R (3 earned).
Altoona
In the second game on Saturday, the Mounders took on the host Railroaders and were able to steam past them with eight runs between the fifth and sixth inning to procure a 10-1 victory.
Clare Hallum stayed on the mound for the second game and threw all seven innings once again for Elk Mound. Hallum gave up one unearned run and three hits to Altoona while striking out one and walking three. Hallum had two hits in her four at bats with one run and one RBI.
Leading the way for Elk Mound in RBIs was Hailey Blaskowski with five. Blaskowski singled in the fifth inning and had a triple in the sixth inning. She also was two-of-four at the plate with two runs scored.
McKenna Diermeier scored three runs for the Mounders in the first, fifth and sixth innings and she went two-of-three at the plate and was walked once.
ELK MOUND 10, ALTOONA 1
Elk Mound….….…..2 0 0 0 4 4 0 – 10
Altoona….…..……0 0 0 0 1 0 0 – 1
Elk Mound (10) AB-H-R: McKenna Diermeier 3-2-3, Sophie Cedarblade 3-0-2, Hailey Blaskowski 3-2-2, Clare Hallum 4-2-1, Abby Curry 4-2-0, Issie Hollister 3-1-0, Hannah Larson 1-0-0, Morgan Radtke 3-0-0, Orianna Horel 4-3-2, Kallee Rhude 4-0-0. Total 32-12-10.
Altoona (1) AB-H-R: Averie Varsho 4-2-0, Karly Maurina 4-0-0, Kate Harris 1-0-0, Lydia Berseth 3-0-0, Ally Wagner 3-0-0, Sedona Van Ert 3-0-0, Daydrean Henrichs 2-1-1, Alisha Mattison 3-0-0, Alaina Henning 2-0-0, Caitlyn Mahnke 1-0-0. Total 26-3-1
Pitching: Elk Mound — Clare Hallum 7 IP, 3 H, 1 K, 3 BB, 1 R (0 earned); Altoona — Ally Wagner 5 1/3 IP, 11 H, 2 K, 2 BB, 10 R (7 earned), Karly Maurina 1 2/3 IP, 1 H, 1 K, 1 BB, 0 R.