Toppers stay atop D-SC conference softball standings with one-run win over Elk Mound
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.
SENIOR Maddie Oehlke safely slides past the tag attempt by the Elk Mound catcher for the go ahead run in the fifth inning. Glenwood City went on to nip Elk Mound 4-3 in the May 17 home contest.
—photo by Shawn DeWitt
GLENWOOD CITY — The Hilltoppers maintained their stance atop the Dunn-St. Croix softball standings with a close win over Elk Mound at home last Monday evening, May 17.
That proved to be Glenwood City’s only contest of the week after a home game against Spring Valley was rained out and has been rescheduled for Wednesday, June 2.
The Toppers four tight 4-3 victory over the Mounders coupled with a shut out win over rival Boyceville (see next week’s issue for details) this past Monday, May 24 pushed their conference record to 7-1 and 12-3 overall.
Additional good news arrived late Monday that Glenwood City now holds first place in the conference standings thanks to Colfax’s 5-0 upset of Elmwood/Plum City who had shared the conference lead with the Toppers.
Besides Monday’s game in Boyceville, Glenwood City, ranked sixth in the latest WFSCA/Wissports.net online Division 4 state poll, played in Colfax yesterday but will return home to host the Wolves of Elmwood/Plum City (ranked fifth before the loss to Colfax) on Thursday and a non-conference tilt against an 11-3 Grantsburg squad Friday. The Toppers then open June with a conference game in Durand.
AFTER CLEANLY fielding the ball, the Toppers’ freshman third baseman Michaela Blaser (#9) prepared to make the throw to first base to put out and Elk Mound hitter May 17. —photo by Shawn DeWitt
Despite being outhit six to five and committing four fielding errors, Glenwood City found a way to come up with a slim 4-3 victory over Elk Mound May 17.
In what turned out to be the Hilltoppers’ only game of the week, the locals jumped to an early 2-0 lead after the opening inning of play on the Glenwood City field.
Maddie Oehlke, who had retired the Mounders in order in the top half of the first, and Kendal Schutz opened with back-to-back singles to jump start the Toppers’ offense in the bottom half of the frame.
Ryeah Oehlke was then issued a free base by Elk Mound hurler McKenna Diermeier to load the bases.
Senior Delanie Fayerweather ground out to second but registered an RBI when Maddie Oehlke scored from third on the play for a 1-0 lead. That advantage grew by another run when Schutz touched home plate thanks to a passed ball. Diermeier struck out Alex Peterson and Michaela Blaser to end the Toppers’ threat.
LOOKING THE BALL into her glove, Glenwood City’s second baseman Kendall Schutz prepared to scoop up this ground ball and toss it to first for an out during the Hilltopper May 17 home game against Elk Mound. Glenwood City won 4-3. —photo by Shawn DeWitt
Elk Mound would get the equalizers in the top of the third inning. With two outs, Diermeier reached base on a Glenwood City error and scored when Morgyn Hallum followed with a double. A single by Hannah Larson sent Hallum home with the tying run before the Toppers’ pitching ace Maddie Oehlke got Lauren Garnett to fly out to end the Mounders at bat.
The score remained knotted at two all until the bottom of the fifth frame, that’s when Glenwood City pushed two more across home plate for a 4-2 advantage.
In that inning, Maddie Oehlke helped her own cause by doubling to lead-off the Toppers’ inning. Schutz grounded out but allowed Maddie to move to third. Ryeah Oehlke then got and RBI with a successful sacrifice bunt that scored her older sister Maddie. With two down, Fayerweather delivered the Toppers’ second double of the frame and came home with GC’s fourth run of the night on a passed ball.
Elk Mound got a run back in the top of the next inning when Issie Hollister smacked a one-out single and scored on Garnett’s hit to close the gap to 4-3.
But, that is as close as Elk Mound would get. Maddie Oehlke retired the next four Mounders she faced, including three up and three down in the seventh to preserve the one-run win.
Maddie Oehlke scattered six hits and gave up just a single walk while striking out nine to get the victory. She also had two of the Toppers’ five hits. Schutz, Fayerweather, and Avery Rubenzer accounted for the other three.
Hallum and Hollister lead the Mounders with a pair of hits while Diermeier took the loss in the throwing circle despite giving up just five hits and four walks to go with seven Ks.