Bulldogs pummel Lake Holcombe/Cornell to open softball playoffs, blanked by Fall Creek

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The Boyceville softball team hit the road last week for a pair of playoff games.

While the Bulldogs, seeded #5, pummeled #4 Lake Holcombe/Cornell 23-6 in a WIAA Division 4 regional semifinal contest Tuesday, May 23, Boyceville had no answers when it faced top-seed Fall Creek, 24-2 and ranked third in the state, in the regional championship two days later, losing on the Crickets’ home field 11-0.

With the playoff split, the Bulldogs finished the 2023 season with a 9-16 record.

Lake Holcombe/Cornell

Boyceville found itself trailing 5-2 after just two innings when it played at Lake Holcombe/Cornell in a division 4 softball regional semifinal game Tuesday, May 23.

But the entire complexion of the contest began to turn around in the top of the third inning when the Bulldogs narrowed their deficit to 5-4 with a pair of runs. They added four runs in the fourth and six more in the fifth to go in front 14-5.

The host added a single run in the bottom half of the fifth.

Boyceville, however, exploded for nine runs in its final at bat in the seventh to win the game 23-6.

The Bulldogs took advantage of 19 hits and 11 Lake Holcombe/Cornell errors to pull away for the big win and advance to the regional final versus Fall Creek.

Paige Fenton and Hannah Dunn each finished the game 3-for-6 at the plate while Kaitlyn Mittlestadt was 3-for-5 with a double. Fenton scored three runs and had a trio of RBIs, Dunn plated four runs and had two RBIs and Mittlestadt finished with four RBIs. Zoey Hellendrung had a pair of hits including a triple and collected five RBIs. Olivia Ponath, Cora Leslie and Delaney Olson also had a pair of hits for the Bulldogs. Leslie along with Cambrie Reisimer and Jadynn Traxler each scored three times.

Ali McRoberts picked up the win in the throwing circle as she allowed six runs on four hits, struck out six and walked three.

Boyceville finished with three errors in the game.

Fall Creek

Although Bulldogs’ starting pitcher Ali McRoberts allowed just six hits over four innings in the Thursday, May 25 regional championship against the top-seeded Crickets, the Boyceville offense only managed two hits against Fall Creek starter Jenna Fitch while the Bulldog defense committed seven costly errors leading to an 11-0 season-ending loss to state-ranked Fall Creek in five innings.

The Crickets would get all runs they needed early. The host scored sevens runs in the bottom of the second and another four in the third.

Hannah Dunn hit a double and Paige Fenton finished with a single to account for the Bulldogs two game hits.

McRoberts gave up all 11 Cricket scores to suffer the loss. She finished with a pair of strikeouts and a walk.