Topper softball beats conference competition, finishes with another 4-1 week

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Just like the Energizer Bunny, the Glenwood City softball team just keeps going and going and going!

All the while, piling up some impressive and thrilling victories.

Faced with yet another five-game week, the Toppers simply did what they had done the previous week – claim wins in four of those five contests, including important conference victories over Durand and Mondovi.

In fact, the Hilltoppers had to put in a little “extra” work at the start of the week when they went ten innings at home against Durand last Monday evening before pulling out a 9-8 win in a nail biter.

Glenwood City then stepped out of the conference and away from home the next day, traveling to Turtle Lake where they sank the Lakers of Turtle Lake/Clayton 13-6 in a Tuesday, May 11 contest.

With a day’s rest, the Hilltoppers packed up and headed for Mondovi on Thursday where they slipped past by the charging Lady Buffs 6-2.

The Toppers wrapped up the week with a pair of non-conference games, losing to Spooner 12-6 at home last Friday, May 14 before extinguishing the Cameron Comets 16-1 the following day in the Amery Tournament.

The Toppers began this week with a tight 4-3 win over Elk Mound Monday night, May 17. The win, coupled with Durand’s 7-5 upset of previously unbeaten Elmwood/Plum City that same evening, has the Hilltoppers back in a first-place tie with the Wolves.

Glenwood City, currently 6-1 in conference and 11-3 overall, hosts Spring Valley Thursday before going on the road for a pair of games in Boyceville on Monday, May 24 and at Colfax the following day – Tuesday, May 25.

Durand

The Panthers’ record is a bit deceiving.

Despite its 3-4 mark, Durand is a very solid softball squad having suffered those four loses by a combined total of just seven runs, including one-run road setbacks to Boyceville in the season opener and Glenwood City last Monday.

And in that May 17 game, the Panthers pushed the Toppers to the limit before succumbing to the locals 9-8 in the bottom of the tenth inning.

Delanie Fayerweather, who hit a pair of home runs in the contest and finished with three hits and five RBIs in four at bats, staked the Toppers to a 1-0 lead with a solo homer in the bottom of the second inning.

Durand took the 2-1 lead off a two-RBI double by Jacie Kitchner in the top of the fourth.

Glenwood City tied it in the bottom half of that frame when Maddie Oehlke smacked a lead-off double, stole third base and scored on Delanie Fayerweather’s sacrifice bunt.

The Panthers went back in front 3-2 with a run in its half of the fifth inning and held it until Fayerweather launched the ball over the center field fence with Kendall Schutz, who had singled, on base to put Glenwood City in front 4-3 in the bottom of the sixth.

All Topper hurler Maddie Oehlke and her defense needed were three outs for the victory.

Unfortunately, an error allowed the Panthers lead off hitter to reach base which sparked a five-run Durand rally highlighted by Jacie Kitchner’s three-run homer, which had followed a two-RBI single by Madisyn Kilboten.

By the time the Toppers had extinguish the fire, Durand led 8 to 4.

“Being down 8-4 in the bottom of the seventh was a big test,” admitted Glenwood City head coach Matthew Schutz.

But the Toppers, who have demonstrated a never-quit demeanor this season, passed that test, responding with four runs in the bottom half of the seventh to send the game into extra innings.

With one out, sophomore Aubree Logghe drew a walk and freshman Libby Wagner was hit with a pitch putting Toppers’ runners at first and second. Then with two outs, Maddie Oehlke hit a three-run homer to pull the Toppers within a run of tying the game.

Kendall Schutz and Ryeah Oehlke singled in consecutive at bats to put another pair of runners on the bases. Delanie Fayerweather then stepped to the plate and delivered another clutch hit, her RBI single sent Schutz home with the tying run. Michaela Blaser flew out to center and the game went to extra frames.

Neither team scored in the eight or ninth innings. But in the bottom of the tenth, Delanie Fayerweather was walked, Alex Peterson laid down a sacrifice bunt to get Fayerweather in scoring position. Michaela Blaser then ripped a hit up the middle and Coach Schutz sent Fayerweather all the way home. Fayerweather slide safely into home plate just a head of a nearly perfect throw from the center fielder to win the game, 9-8.

“Maddie Oehlke and the defense held Durand to only one runner reaching a bag, that on a walk, over the final three innings,” stated a jubilant Coach Schutz.

“This was a hard fought game,” he added.

Maddie Oehlke went all ten innings in the pitching circle to earn the win. She gave up ten hits and eight runs, only four of which were earned, while striking out ten and walking a pair.

Maddie also had the big three-run blast in the seventh but it was it was fellow senior Delanie Fayerweather that had the hottest bat, picking up three hits including a pair of home runs and five RBIs, in four plate appearances. Kendall Schutz and Ryeah Oehlke also had two hits apiece.

Turtle Lake/Clayton

With a rare day off for senior pitcher Maddie Oehlke, junior Kendall Schutz stepped into the pitching circle when the Toppers visited Turtle Lake last Tuesday, May 11.

After surrendering a walk and a pair of singles that lead to a run in the first inning, Schutz settled in and gave Glenwood City five solid innings of work from the mound as she picked up her first victory of the year. In total, Schutz allowed just five hits and six run with five walks and six strike outs as the Toppers beat Turtle Lake/Clayton 13 to 6.

Maddie Klatt took the mound in the sixth to earn a save, as well as pitched an inning and two-thirds of scoreless ball with a strike out.

The Hilltoppers offense, which combined for 13 hits, scored three runs in the first, four in the second, one in the third and seventh, and another four in the fourth for the win.

Delanie Fayerweather finished 2-for-3 at the plate, which included a two-RBI double in the first and Maddie Oehlke went 2-for-2 with a fourth-inning solo home run while sister Ryeah Oehlke had an RBI-double in the fourth.

Host Turtle Lake/Clayton trailed 12 to 1, but scored three times in the fifth and twice in the sixth, and finished with just five hits.

Mondovi

A four-run fourth inning lifted Glenwood City to a 6-2 victory over host Mondovi last Thursday, May 13.

The Hilltopper broke open a 1-1 contest with four runs against the Buffaloes in the third frame of this crucial conference game.

In that decisive inning, Maddie Oehlke and Kendall Schutz singled to lead it off. Ryeah Oehlke reached on an error to load the bases. Fayerweather drew an RBI walk to give the Toppers a 2-1 lead, which grew to 3-1 when Schutz scored on a passed ball. An error on a Michaela Blaser hit allowed two more Topper runs to score for a 5-1 lead.

Aubree Logghe walked and scored in the fourth to up the GC advantage to 6-1. Mondovi scored its final run in the sixth.

Maddie Oehlke took the mound victory after allowing only three hits and two runs while walking a pair and striking out ten. She also helped herself out picking up three of the Toppers’ hits while Alex Peterson had a pair.

Spooner

Opting to save pitching ace Maddie Oehlke for the following day’s invite in Amery, Glenwood City put Kendall Schutz in the pitching circle when Spooner came to town last Friday, May 14.

The hard-hitting Lady Rails punched out 13 hits and score ten runs during Schutz six and a third inning throwing. Maddie Klatt came on for the final two outs, giving up three hits and two runs to the eight hitters she faced as Spooner went on for the 12-6 win.

Glenwood City was ahead 5-4 when Spooner got a 3-run homer in the top of the sixth to take the lead for good and then added five more in the seventh.

Maddie Oehlke, Delanie Fayerweather and Avery Rubenzer each had a pair of hits.

Cameron

In a Saturday, May 15 tourney in Amery, Glenwood City used its short game to take a big lead over Cameron.

Employing several bunts that a Cameron squad was not quick to react to, the Hilltoppers posted nine runs in the first inning alone as they went on to dust the Comets 16-1 in five innings.

Maddie Oehlke tossed a one-hitter for the win with nine strike outs.

The Toppers’ offense provided plenty of supports as it garnered 20 hits. The top four in the batting order collected 13 of those hits. Maddie Oehlke and Avery Rubenzer were each 4-for-4 and Kendall Schutz, Ryeah Oehlke and Delanie Fayerweather all had three hits.