Bulldogs sweep softball series against Hilltoppers

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When rivals Glenwood City and Boyceville come together in athletic competition just about anything can and often does happen regardless of records.

And it was no different when the two schools met on the softball field for the second time this season last Thursday, May 9 in Glenwood City.

Although the Bulldogs had won the pair’s first meeting by the slimmest of margins, 8 to 7 in walk-off fashion back on April 15,  Boyceville entered the contest still stinging from a 5-1 home loss to Durand-Arkansaw on Monday, May 6 while Glenwood City had earned a sweep of Spring Valley that same day with a 14-9 road victory.

Both teams showed some offensive firepower in the opening inning with the Bulldogs scoring four times only to have the Hilltoppers respond with a five spot in the bottom half of the first.

While Boyceville continued to score, putting up runs in four of the final six innings, Glenwood City managed to touch home plate just three more times, all in the fifth inning, which allowed the Bulldogs to sweep the season series with a 15-8 victory.

Glenwood City hosted Elk Mound the following day and were beaten 13-2. Both teams also competed in Saturday tournaments where they split a pair of games. Those results can be found in stories elsewhere in this week’s issue.

Boyceville came out with bats blazing. Aubrey Malean and Delaney Olson singled to get the Bulldogs off to a quick start. Although Glenwood City starting pitcher, senior Maddie Klatt, got fellow senior Hannah Dunn to ground out, Malean was able to score for a 1-0 Dogs’ lead. Zoey Hellendrung was then hit by a pitch. Jadynn Traxler was the next to step into the batter’s box for Boyceville and she promptly smacked a double that brought both Olson and Hellendrung home to make it a 3-0 contest. Traxler scored on a passed ball for a 4-0 advantage before Klatt retired the side by getting Sarah Stoveren to ground out to short and Cora Leslie to strike out.

Glenwood City, however, answered with five runs of its own in the bottom half to take a one-run advantage. With an out, Madison Caress and Jenna McCarthy drew back-to-back walks off Boyceville freshman hurler Aubrey Malean, Kiley Leduc doubled in Caress, McCarthy then scored on an RBI ground out by Isabel Davis to cut the Bulldogs lead in half. Avery Rubenzer then singled and Michaela Blaser reached on an error that allowed Leduc to plate a run. Maddie Klatt then helped out her own cause with a 2-run double that put the Hilltoppers in front 5 to 4. Malean finally retired the Topper side by striking out Nikki Multhauf for the third out.

Boyceville struck for five runs in the top of the second to retake the lead which it never relinquished.

Kaitlyn Mittlestadt opened the second with a double. Kendra Oestreich grounded out to third but Mittlestadt was able to take third base on the throw to first. Malean then reached on a Hilltopper error that allowed Mittlestadt to score the game-tying run. Olson singled and then stole second to put Bulldog runners at second and third. Dunn delivered a base hit that scored both Mittlestadt and Olson to put Boyceville in front 7-5. Traxler walked before Stoveren came to the plate and laced a two bagger that plated Mittlestadt and Traxler for a 9-5 advantage before the Toppers were able to get the final two outs.

Neither team scored in the third frame, but the Bulldogs added a pair of scores in the top of the fourth when Stoveren reached on another Glenwood City error that allowed Olson and Hellendrung to score for a 11-5 Boyceville lead.

The Bulldogs padded that advantage with three more scores in the fifth off singles by Olson, Dunn, Hellendrung and Stoveren and two more Topper faux pas.

Glenwood City took back those three runs in the bottom half of the fifth. Davis led off with a hit. Following a strike out by Rubenzer, Blaser belted a single and Klatt reached base on a Bulldog error that allowed her to collect her third RBI of the game when Davis touched home plate. Klatt eventually scored on a hit by Multhauf to make it 14-8 in Boyceville’s favor.

The Bulldogs tacked on their final run in the seventh when Traxler drew a walk with one out and scored when Stoveren followed with a double to make the final tally 15-8.

Boyceville topped Glenwood City not only in runs but hits – 16 to nine. Junior Delaney Olson and senior Sarah Stoveren sparked the Bulldogs’ offense. Olson finished the game 5-for-5 at the plate with four runs scored. Stoveren tallied three hits including a pair of doubles in five at bats for six RBIs. Senior Hannah Dunn contributed to the offensive fireworks with two hits that yielded four RBIs and she also scored twice. Freshman Aubrey Malean also finished with a pair of hits, scored two runs and had an RBI. Mittlestadt and Traxler both finished with a double.

Malean went all seven innings in the throwing circle to earn the win. She allowed nine hits and eight runs, struck out ten Toppers and walked five.

Six of Glenwood City’s nine hits came from three players. Maddie Klatt, Michaela Blaser and Isabel Davis each registered two hits while Nikki Multhauf and Kiley Leduc each had a double. Klatt finished with three RBIs while Multhauf and Leduc tallied two each.

Klatt, who was GC’s starting pitcher and went the first five innings, suffered the loss. She gave up 14 hits and 14 runs while striking out four and walking a pair. Kirah Krueger threw the final two innings for Glenwood City and allowed a pair of hits and a run with one strikeout and a free pass.