Toppers head into softball playoffs with pair of losses but nip Cardinals in regional opener

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GLENWOOD CITY — The Hilltopper softball team was looking to build some positive momentum in the final week of the regular season to act as a spring board for the playoffs.

Instead, Glenwood City found itself headed in the opposite direction as the offense struggled to score in a pair of conference losses that brought the regular season to a close.

In back-to-back home games early last week, the Hilltoppers were soundly defeated by Dunn-St. Croix foes.

Colfax celebrated its first-ever conference softball championship and a perfect 14-0 finish in league games with a 18-2 beat down of Glenwood City last Monday, May 13. The following day, Durand-Arkansaw Panthers came to town and pounced on the host Hilltoppers 11-2. Those results left the Toppers with a 3-11 mark in conference play, good for sixth in the final standings, and an overall record of 6-12 when the WIAA tournament began last Thursday.

Fortunately, Glenwood City, seeded eighth in the Division 4 tournament, found some much needed offensive firepower as it nipped the ninth-seeded Cardinal of Spring Valley 10-9 in the May 16 regional opener which was played on the Toppers’ home field. It was the third time Glenwood City had beaten Spring Valley this year.

With that win, Glenwood City played at Fall Creek (18-2), the top seed and the state’s number two ranked team in Division 4, in a regional semifinal yesterday. The winner moves on to play in the regional championship slated for Thursday.

Colfax

The newly-crowned Dunn-St. Croix champion Colfax Vikings scored early and often when they visited Glenwood City May 13.

Colfax collected 13 hits in the game, six of which went for extra bases including three home runs.

Brynn Sikora belted two dingers for the Vikings and finished 3-for-3 at the plate with 6 RBIs and three runs scored. Jada Anderson also had a homer for the Vikings who plated six runs in the first inning, three in the second, four in the third and their final five in the fourth.

Glenwood City did collect six hits but were only able to put two runs across home plate both of which came in the third inning. Kiley Leduc had two of those Toppers hits, one went for a double. She also had a pair of RBIs.

Senior Maddie Klatt took the pitching loss after surrendering all 18 runs and 13 hits in three and a third innings with just one strike out and five walks. Kirah Krueger threw the final out which was a strike out.

Durand-Arkansaw

The conference and regular season final at home against Durand-Arkansaw was a tight affair through the first four innings of last Tuesday’s contest.

Durand-Arkansaw lead just 1-0 thanks to a first-inning score. But, the Panthers exploded for ten runs in the final three innings including five scores in the fifth to win the May 14 battle 11-2.

Glenwood City scored just two runs for the second straight game, both of which came in the sixth, as it was outslugged 11 to 6 by Durand-Arkansaw.

Six different Toppers collected singles. Madison Caress, Sydney Grant, Isabel Davis, Michaela Blaser, Jenna McCarthy and Kiley Leduc each had a hit in the game.

Maddie Klatt started and went four innings, giving up just a run on two hits with three Ks and a walk but did not get the decision. Kirah Krueger tossed the final three inning and took the loss as she surrendered ten runs on eight hits, walked three and struck out a pair.

Spring Valley

As the old saying goes, “It’s hard to beat a team three times in one season!”

But, that is just what the Hilltoppers were tasked with when they hosted Spring Valley in the opening round of the Division 4 playoffs last Thursday, May 16.

The Hilltoppers prevailed 15-9 and 14-9 in both regular-season showdowns and took a 9-4 lead in the regional quarterfinal thanks to a six-run fourth.

Spring Valley, however, charged back as it outscored Glenwood City 5-1 in the final two innings which included a four-run seventh. But, Glenwood City managed to hold on for a 10-9 win to advance.

Glenwood City finished with 14 hits to eight by Spring Valley. Sydney Grant had three hits in five plate appearances and scored two runs. Kiley Leduc had a pair of hits, one of which went for a home run as she finished the game with three RBIs. Also collecting two hits for the Hilltoppers were Davis, Blaser and Nikki Multhauf.

Maddie Klatt went the distance to get the win. In seven innings pitched, she gave up eight hits and nine runs with four Ks and a walk.